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Friday, April 08, 2005
Condors
California Condor
BIOLOGY OF THE CALIFORNIA CONDOR Gymnogyps californianus
Classification The California condor, Gymnogyps californianus, is a member of the family Ciconiidae, or "New World vultures." The closest living relative is the Andean condor, Vultur gryphus, found in South America. Other members of the family include the turkey and black vultures. Originally classified in the order Falconiformes with eagles, hawks, falcons and Old World vultures, the New World vultures have recently been shown to be more closely related to storks and belong in the order Ciconiiformes.
Range; During the Pleistocene Era, ending 10,000 years ago, the condor's range extended across much of North America. At the time of the arrival of pioneers, the condor ranged along the pacific coast from British Columbia south through Baja California, Mexico. By 1940 the range had been reduced to the coastal mountains of southern California with nesting occurring primarily in the rugged, chaparral-covered mountains, and foraging in the foothills and grasslands of the San Joaquin Valley. Today condors are being reintroduced into the mountains of southern California north of the Los Angeles basin, in the Big Sur vicinity of the central California coast, and near the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Habitat; California condors require large areas of remote country for foraging, roosting, and nesting. Condors roost on large, trees or snags, or on isolated rocky outcrops and cliffs. Nests are placed in shallow caves and rock crevices on cliffs where there is minimal disturbance. Foraging habitat includes open grasslands and oak savanna foothills that support populations of large mammals such as deer and cattle. Condors may fly 150 miles a day in search of food.
DescriptionColor; - Males and females are similar in appearance. Adult condors have a mostly bald head and neck. The skin of the head and neck is colored in shades of pink, red, orange, yellow, and light blue; becoming more intensely pink/orange during times of excitement and in the breeding season. Feathers are mostly black except for white underwing linings. Juvenile birds have dusky black heads and bodies with limited white underwing linings. At hatch, chicks have light pink and orange skin and are covered in off-white down which is quickly replaced by gray down.
Size; - California condors have a wing span of about 9.5 feet. Adult condors stand at a height of 45-55 inches and weigh 17 to 25 pounds. Males are generally slightly larger than females.Talons - Unlike birds of prey, condors do not have sharp talons capable of killing or grasping objects.
Beak; - The condor's beak is long, sharp, and powerful. It can pierce the hide of a horse. Condors use their beaks to tear the flesh from carcasses, and to touch, feel, and explore their surroundings. Condors have been observed using their beak to remove foliage from trees to create better roosting sites, and manipulating rocks and other objects in caves to improve the nesting area.
Voice; - The condor has no syrinx (voice box), but communicates with a combination of hisses, growls, and grunts. There is also a well-developed system of communication through body language.
Crop; - The crop is a pouch like enlargement below the throat where food is stored and partially digested before it enters the stomach. In one feeding an adult California condor can take in as much as 3 to 4 pounds in its crop. A crop can be seen as a bulge in the upper chest area of a condor.
Senses; - Condors have keen eyesight to help them spot food from great heights. The color of their iris changes from tan to red as the bird matures. Condors do not have a good sense of smell and do not use it to locate food as do turkey vultures. California condors have good hearing.
Air sacs; - Condors have air sacs located under their skin in their neck and throat regions. When agitated or excited they inflate these sacs which gives them a larger more impressive appearance.
Life span; - It is not known how long condors live, however the oldest California condor in captivity was born in 1966. An Andean condor in a zoo in Italy died recently at 71 years of age. Scientists believe that condors in the wild did not live to much over 40 years of age.
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BIOLOGY OF THE CALIFORNIA CONDOR Gymnogyps californianus
Classification The California condor, Gymnogyps californianus, is a member of the family Ciconiidae, or "New World vultures." The closest living relative is the Andean condor, Vultur gryphus, found in South America. Other members of the family include the turkey and black vultures. Originally classified in the order Falconiformes with eagles, hawks, falcons and Old World vultures, the New World vultures have recently been shown to be more closely related to storks and belong in the order Ciconiiformes.
Range; During the Pleistocene Era, ending 10,000 years ago, the condor's range extended across much of North America. At the time of the arrival of pioneers, the condor ranged along the pacific coast from British Columbia south through Baja California, Mexico. By 1940 the range had been reduced to the coastal mountains of southern California with nesting occurring primarily in the rugged, chaparral-covered mountains, and foraging in the foothills and grasslands of the San Joaquin Valley. Today condors are being reintroduced into the mountains of southern California north of the Los Angeles basin, in the Big Sur vicinity of the central California coast, and near the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Habitat; California condors require large areas of remote country for foraging, roosting, and nesting. Condors roost on large, trees or snags, or on isolated rocky outcrops and cliffs. Nests are placed in shallow caves and rock crevices on cliffs where there is minimal disturbance. Foraging habitat includes open grasslands and oak savanna foothills that support populations of large mammals such as deer and cattle. Condors may fly 150 miles a day in search of food.
DescriptionColor; - Males and females are similar in appearance. Adult condors have a mostly bald head and neck. The skin of the head and neck is colored in shades of pink, red, orange, yellow, and light blue; becoming more intensely pink/orange during times of excitement and in the breeding season. Feathers are mostly black except for white underwing linings. Juvenile birds have dusky black heads and bodies with limited white underwing linings. At hatch, chicks have light pink and orange skin and are covered in off-white down which is quickly replaced by gray down.
Size; - California condors have a wing span of about 9.5 feet. Adult condors stand at a height of 45-55 inches and weigh 17 to 25 pounds. Males are generally slightly larger than females.Talons - Unlike birds of prey, condors do not have sharp talons capable of killing or grasping objects.
Beak; - The condor's beak is long, sharp, and powerful. It can pierce the hide of a horse. Condors use their beaks to tear the flesh from carcasses, and to touch, feel, and explore their surroundings. Condors have been observed using their beak to remove foliage from trees to create better roosting sites, and manipulating rocks and other objects in caves to improve the nesting area.
Voice; - The condor has no syrinx (voice box), but communicates with a combination of hisses, growls, and grunts. There is also a well-developed system of communication through body language.
Crop; - The crop is a pouch like enlargement below the throat where food is stored and partially digested before it enters the stomach. In one feeding an adult California condor can take in as much as 3 to 4 pounds in its crop. A crop can be seen as a bulge in the upper chest area of a condor.
Senses; - Condors have keen eyesight to help them spot food from great heights. The color of their iris changes from tan to red as the bird matures. Condors do not have a good sense of smell and do not use it to locate food as do turkey vultures. California condors have good hearing.
Air sacs; - Condors have air sacs located under their skin in their neck and throat regions. When agitated or excited they inflate these sacs which gives them a larger more impressive appearance.
Life span; - It is not known how long condors live, however the oldest California condor in captivity was born in 1966. An Andean condor in a zoo in Italy died recently at 71 years of age. Scientists believe that condors in the wild did not live to much over 40 years of age.
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