That’s Not a Condor!
I often get asked about whether the large, bald-headed birds flying overhead at San Diego lakes or waterways are California condors. It makes me wonder if people really don’t know how extremely rare condors are, especially in the wild where only 250 currently exist. All condors are highly monitored and managed with all, or most of them tagged with large, numbered, tags that are visible from both above and below.
I do a lot of birding in San Diego and vultures are among my favorite raptors. I’m also interested in condors and have seen them at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park as well as attended lectures about them and their various issues. While out watching birds, I frequently come across turkey vultures, pretty much the only type of vulture in this part of the country. These vultures are much smaller than condors and often congregate in large numbers. Condors have a large, brighter white patch both above and underneath their wings, while the turkey vulture has more of a faded gray area under the wings, but are dark brown or black on the top. It is very unlikely that turkey vultures would be tagged on the wings, though they may be occasionally banded on the legs for research. Turkey vultures are plentiful and are not currently in danger of extinction.
Both condors and turkey vultures perform the same functions of cleaning up carcasses, keeping the area clean and disease-free. Both types of birds have bald heads to help reduce disease and infection when they feed on carcasses. And, both are resistant to certain diseases because of the unique chemistry of their digestive systems. Condors have a much bigger issue with lead poisoning, possibly because of the area they live and forage in as well as their small numbers and lack of experience with raising young. Turkey vultures are also prone to lead poisoning, but with different breeding practices and a larger population, they have not lost a critical portion of their population compared to condors.
One day, I would like to see condors flying around town or even see one like the one that had been tracked traveling from Baja California to San Diego County. Sadly, though, that condor, #321, was a victim of lead poisoning and was returned to captivity. But, I hope that more return to their former ranges along the California coast. Conservationists are working diligently with not only restoring their range, but keeping the species from coming extinct.
More information on vultures and condors:
