California Condors

The California condor is a well-known conservation story in North America. By 1987, with the wild population collapsing, biologists made the bold decision to capture every remaining condor, just 27 birds, for a captive breeding program, meaning the species was, for a time, extinct in the wild.

Through years of careful breeding and reintroduction, condors have been returned to the wild in several areas, including Pinnacles, which became an active release and management site. The park's biologists monitor the birds, many of which wear numbered wing tags, and the population, while still endangered and carefully managed, has grown from those 27 birds into the hundreds.

The High Peaks are one of the best places in the park to look for condors, which soar on the thermals rising over the rocks, though the birds range widely and can appear elsewhere. Early morning and late afternoon are often good times to watch the skies.

Because condors can resemble the far more common turkey vultures at a distance, binoculars help, as does knowing the differences: condors are much larger, hold their broad wings flatter, and often show white patches under the wings and numbered tags. Rangers and volunteers can sometimes help point them out. Sightings are never guaranteed, but they are frequent, and it is important never to feed or approach wildlife and to pack out all trash, since condors can be harmed by human food and litter.

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Yes, Pinnacles National Park is one of the better places in the country to see wild California condors. The park is one of a handful of release and management sites for the species, and condors are often seen soaring over the High Peaks and other rocky areas on rising thermals. Sightings are never guaranteed, since the birds range widely, but they are frequent, especially in the mornings and late afternoons. With a wingspan approaching ten feet, condors are unmistakable up close, though at a distance they can be confused with the more common turkey vultures. Bringing binoculars, watching the skies over the High Peaks, and asking rangers or volunteers for tips all improve your chances of spotting one of these rare, magnificent birds.

The California condor is North America's largest land bird, with a wingspan approaching ten feet, about three meters, and a weight of up to roughly 25 pounds. When one soars overhead, its enormous size and broad, flat wings are striking. Condors can be confused at a distance with turkey vultures, which are also large dark soaring birds, but condors are considerably bigger, hold their wings flatter rather than in a shallow V, and often show large white patches under the front of the wings, along with numbered tags used to track individuals. Their great size allows them to ride thermals for long distances with little effort, which is why the updrafts over the High Peaks of Pinnacles are such a good place to watch for them.

California condors nearly went extinct due to a combination of threats, and they remain endangered today. Historically, their numbers fell because of habitat loss, poaching, egg collecting, and poisoning. The most serious ongoing threat is lead poisoning: condors are scavengers that feed on carcasses, and when they eat animals shot with lead ammunition, they can ingest toxic lead fragments, which is often fatal. Collisions with power lines and ingestion of trash, such as small pieces of plastic, also harm them. By 1987, only 27 condors remained, all of which were captured for breeding. Thanks to captive breeding, reintroduction, and ongoing management, including at Pinnacles, the population has grown into the hundreds, but the species still depends on careful human protection to survive.

Telling a California condor from a turkey vulture takes a little practice, since both are large, dark soaring birds often seen over Pinnacles. The biggest clue is size: condors are much larger, with a wingspan approaching ten feet, while turkey vultures are noticeably smaller. In flight, condors hold their broad wings flat and steady, whereas turkey vultures hold theirs in a shallow V and often teeter or wobble in the wind. Condors typically show large white triangular patches under the front of their wings, which vultures lack, and most wild condors wear numbered wing tags used for tracking. Up close, adult condors have bald orange-pink heads. Using binoculars and watching for the flat wings, white underwing patches, and tags will help you confirm a condor sighting.