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What is a “Nonessential Experimental” California Condor?

10,000 Birds

Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) recently proposed reintroducing California Condors in the Pacific Northwest. Although sometimes thought of a bird of the Southwest, the condor’s historical range reaches as far north as British Columbia. But condors have not been in the Pacific Northwest for more than a century.

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Feather Trails: A Journey of Discovery Among Endangered Birds–A Book Review

10,000 Birds

Osborn, a passionate field biologist who participates to the core of her being three re-introduction projects aimed at saving three very different, endangered species: Peregrine Falcon, Hawaiian Crow (‘Alala)*, and California Condor. This is the most intense, tragic section.

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Bird Litigation: Hindsight and the California Condor

10,000 Birds

As many birders know, the last wild California Condors were captured by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in the 1980s to be part of a captive breeding program. Audubon thought there should be some wild condors to serve as “guide birds” for condors that would eventually be released from the captive breeding program.

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Contemplating California Condors

10,000 Birds

The newest bird on the brink to capture her fertile imagination is the California Condor, on which she graciously shares her research and ruminations: Sometimes as a writer you recognize there’s been something overlooked in your midst—something quietly abiding. Condors, like all New World vultures, can disturb the human psyche.

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When is a Vulture Not a Vulture?

10,000 Birds

I have been lucky enough to get close views of two massive Old World Vulture species, the Eurasian Griffon and the Egyptian Vulture. Here in Mexico, I can almost always count on Black Vultures and Turkey Vultures to pad each outing’s list by two species. Black Vultures are a bit smaller than all these other species.

Turkey 210
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A Birder’s Guide to U.S. Federal Public Lands

10,000 Birds

These lands support countless birds, either year-round, as migratory stopovers, or as breeding grounds. BLM land is particularly important for conservation of the Greater Sage-Grouse and other sageland species. For example, most of the world’s Black-footed and Laysan Albatross and Ashy Storm-Petrel breed on these islands.

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I and the Bird: What is a Vulture?

10,000 Birds

The smellier the better, particularly as, unusually for birds, many species can boast a robust sense of smell. In any case, our hang-ups with vultures clearly stem from our own issues rather than any inherently bizarre trait of the species themselves. The California Condor has a story well-known by anyone with an interest in birds.