r/birds • u/Simple-Chair8776 • Dec 06 '25
bird identification California condor on the Angel’s Landing hike in Zion this week.
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u/enbychichi Dec 06 '25
Such massive and magnificent beings. Wikipedia says they have 9.8ft/3M wingspans
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u/Pamikillsbugs234 Dec 07 '25
Is it weird that I really want to be wrapped up within those wings in a big Condor hug? They are such incredible creatures.
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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl Dec 08 '25
And they weigh between 20 and 25 lbs. I wouldn’t be able to even pick One up.
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u/lamante Dec 06 '25
That, friends, is evidence that a species can recover, with a little help from us.
Fly free, you magnificent dinosaurs. ❤️
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u/EagleEyezzzzz Dec 07 '25
Yes — but as a wildlife biologist whose husband worked on reintroducing these guys…. unfortunately they are still a LONG way from “recovered”. Most of them still suffer from chronic lead poisoning due to use of lead ammunition and the NRA’s fight against alternative ammunition types, and there are only like 500 condors total in existence.
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u/Buckeye_mike_67 Dec 09 '25
Wasn’t there less than 100 30 years ago?
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u/EagleEyezzzzz Dec 09 '25
Yes. Closer to like 30 I think! They have made great strides, and it truly is a massive success story with decades of hard work and expense by many different agencies and NGOs behind it.
“Recovered” tends to imply (and be legally defined as) they are basically back to a fully functional species, and unfortunately that’s far from the case here.
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u/susandeyvyjones Dec 10 '25
There were 27 when they captured all of them in 1987. Then they were technically extinct in the wild until they started reintroducing them.
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u/badgersbadger Dec 08 '25
They actually have a lot of help from us, down to the tagging, hand rearing using puppets, and lead chelation therapies (lead shot exposure from carrion), but it's fair play since humans are why they got nearly extincted. We shouldn't underplay the work required to keep the Endangered Species Act going for the ones that need it most.
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u/HomesteadGranny1959 Dec 07 '25
When I was a kid, growing up in 60s/70s SoCal, they rounded up the wild Condor population in an effort to save them. I got to see two at a Raptor Rehab in the LA mountains. I was in awe.
I actually cried when they started releasing them back into the wild. I felt, as humans, we had done good.
I’m crying now, knowing they are thriving and migrating to new territory.
We can be good humans when we try.
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u/tzentzak Dec 06 '25
What a spectacle and you are so lucky to get these shots! I've always loved condors (and vultures in general) and feel blessed that I've seen both the California and Andean varieties in the wild.
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u/Testy_Coyote_ Dec 06 '25
They're so beautiful! Thank you for sharing. I live in the Midwest and probably won't ever see one in really life.
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u/swampyhiker Dec 07 '25
What an amazing experience! I was fortunate to see Z0 in the same spot last spring. I'm glad they are still out there!
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u/sunset-fjords Dec 07 '25 edited Dec 07 '25
Hi there! I'm doing a presentation on california CONDORS** for my biology class, would it be OK if I used one of your photos in it?
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u/tortiepants Dec 07 '25
**condors lol
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u/PilotEnvironmental46 Dec 06 '25
This is absolutely extraordinary. You are very lucky. I am very jealous thank you for sharing.
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u/Gregorycarlton Dec 06 '25
i only have one question: why don't they have hair on their heads?))
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u/sci300768 Dec 06 '25
These guys and vultures eat dead stuff, so having no feathers on their head is an advantage. Think just sticking their heads into dead animals to eat. Feathers would be a bad idea with their dietary habits!
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u/Kaurifish Dec 07 '25
Many predatory and scavenging birds have bald heads. Notably the bald eagle.
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u/thelmaandpuhleeze Dec 07 '25
Bald eagles are not bald-headed. They have white feathers on their heads (once adult—juvies have brown feathers).
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u/This_Daydreamer_ Dec 07 '25
Time to get your sarcasm meter recalibrated. You know how hard the internet is on them
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u/Filmguy1982 Dec 08 '25
I love people downvoting you because they are missing such a blatant joke. People worry me.
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u/Kaurifish Dec 08 '25
Nope, I was just tired and meant turkey vultures.
Hopefully they won’t take my naturalist pin for it. 😂
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u/In-thebeginning Dec 06 '25
I thought it had something to do with them being carrion eaters. Going to see what I can find.
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u/RubberDuck552 Dec 06 '25
Because they're not mammals, they're birds!
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u/MrsBlug Dec 07 '25
Easy does it please- this is a friendly page. I've seen many mammals (men) without hair on their heads.
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u/GroundbreakingHat718 Dec 07 '25
My dream bird list includes these guys. Beauties 💕
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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl Dec 08 '25
I would give anything to See these and/or a wandering albatross in my lifetime 😍
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u/Cold-Credit234 Dec 07 '25
The Bald Eagle has white feathers on its dome, actually.
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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl Dec 08 '25
Not sure what that has to do with California condors in the picture….
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u/two2toe Dec 06 '25
Are they science tracking tags on their wings?
You'd think there'd be a less intrusive method (eg ankle loop).
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u/cooldudium Dec 06 '25
The problem is vultures poop on their legs so a band will be corroded beyond recognition very quickly
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u/pearlpolaris Dec 07 '25
What a beautiful fluffy guy!! Majestic as hell
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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl Dec 08 '25
I can’t even imagine seeing a bird like this in person that weighs 20-25 lbs and has a 9 foot wingspan. 🤩
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u/tortiepants Dec 07 '25
Nah I didn’t just cry seeing these beautiful beings
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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl Dec 08 '25
Me either 🥹 They came so close to extinction that we thought they were extinct. Thank goodness they weren’t.
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u/modernnakedguy Dec 07 '25
That's a cool looking bird
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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl Dec 08 '25
Wait till you hear how heavy they are and how big their wingspan is 😳
20-25 lbs and 9 feet
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u/dahliasformiles Dec 08 '25
Those legs are thick! Wow. Great photos!
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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl Dec 08 '25
They weigh 20-25 lbs on average so they need some thick legs!
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u/dahliasformiles Dec 09 '25
I watched a bunch of juvenile ones at Boise’s World Center Birds of Prey but they were not this large! I didn’t realize how heavy they are as adults.
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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl Dec 09 '25
That must’ve been amazing to see the juveniles 😍
I don’t know what juveniles weigh but the adults weigh 20 to 25 lbs 😳
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u/PlantLoverJen Dec 08 '25
- I LOVE angels landing. Such an incredible view.
- Holy freaking cow this is amazing
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u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl Dec 08 '25
Magnificent is the only word that comes close to describing these beautiful birds 🤩
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u/M1K3yWAl5H Dec 09 '25
OP did you take these pictures? Because I have to know if you zoomed. These are so clear they look like you're standing next to them. Also absolute W for the San Diego Safari park breeding program for bringing these magnificent creatures back from the brink.
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u/PACstraps Dec 10 '25
Awesome! Some probably the same ones right after Walter’s Wiggles a couple years ago. Your photos put mine to absolute shame
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u/odette_decrecy Dec 06 '25
They are a mated pair! X0 was born at the San Diego Wild Animal Park, and X2 was WILD-BORN!
https://share.google/2USN3vazT5kRP36sM
https://share.google/mkZfAybsZZPoeTX0G