The Condor Cave

Our nesting parents are getting ready to fledge their chick, the second since they started nesting in 2018. They have some concerns about sibling rivalries, but our veteran condor #79, better known as Pitahsi, is here with some wisdom for these concerned condors. Nuestros cóndores padres de anidamiento se están preparando para que su polluelo vuele por primera vez. Este es el segundo polluelo que volará de su nido desde que comenzaron a anidar en 2018. Los padres del pollue...lo están preocupados sobre la rivalidad entre los polluelos hermanos, pero aquí tenemos a nuestro cóndor sabio #079, mejor conocido como Pitahsi, con unos consejos para estos cóndores preocupados. Dear Pitahsi, This is #462 here - two years ago me and my mate #594 and I had our first chick, #926. She has been such a wonderful chick and we LOVE the way that pink tag stands out on her black feathers. This year, #594 and I decided to give it another go and we now have our second chick, #1048. This chick has been a dream, and with all of the wing flapping we’re seeing it is definitely going to fledge any day now; but once they leave the nest, I’m concerned big sister might feel bitter. I mean, we haven’t really seen #926 since #594 and I started courting again last year and then we’ve been giving #1048 all of our time. Do you think they’ll get along? - Puzzled Parent #462 Hi Puzzled Parent #462, I’m so glad that you still feel like you can come to your mom for advice! You know, I too have a lot of siblings, and you should remember that you have many siblings as well. Your father and I thought you might have some trouble with #599 getting all of the limelight from the @Condors Shadow, but we were pleasantly surprised with how well you supported her in her debut role! Sometimes siblings have been known to bicker over carcasses, or who roosts at the top of the tree, but you have to remember that once a chick fledges it’s not just them and their brothers or sisters, they are now a part of a whole flock. Your little #1048 and #926 are also a part that Southern California flock, and that’s almost 100 condors. Right now, #926 is figuring out how to be a sub-adult and #1048 will be right behind her in no time along with all of the other chicks fledging this year. And I’m sure if they spot each other at a carcass big sis will make sure the lil chick knows its place - at the back of the line! #FlockIsFamily #SibilingRivalries #CommunityInTheWild

Oh my, what beautiful eyes you have! The better to see you with my dear. California condors, as with their raptor brethren, have exquisite eyesight. As scavengers, this is an incredibly important adaptation. So what makes their eyesight so great? Visual acuity, or the ability of the eye to focus clearly and sharply on an object as it becomes smaller or more distant, is based on the number of visual cells in the eye. We humans have 200,000 visual cells per square millimeter, b...ut birds have a much greater density. Songbirds have about twice the density of humans, but raptors like falcons, hawks, eagles, and vultures, have much more. The European buzzard is the reigning eye chart champ with one million cells per square millimeter, giving it the visual acuity 6-8 times that of a mere human (I think this bird is beyond 20/20!). In addition, the cells are not uniformly distributed, there are more cells in the part of the eye that looks at the ground and less in the part that looks at the sky. California condor eyes are also special in that they undergo a transformation as they become adults. Hatched with eyes of rich mahogany, as condors mature their eyes become a stunning vermilion red. Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service #transformationtuesday #californiacondor #raptoreye

¡Feliz Halloween! ¿Sabías que los cóndores no son las únicas criaturas que celebran alrededor del Refugio en esta época del año? Happy Halloween! Did you know condors aren’t the only creatures celebrating around the Refuge this time of year? This is the time of year when SoCal condors could chance upon these eight-legged wonders that inhabit Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge, and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate the Halloween season then by coming face to face... with one of these creepy crawlers. Typical migration season runs from September to October, folks who want to see these big beauts best plan to trek outdoors in the next few weeks. Tarantula migration is a very misleading phrase, says Sasha Gennet, an ecologist from the Nature Conservancy. If you see more than one of them, they can give the appearance of a mass exodus, but they really are on a single-minded purpose, she says, hinting at the age-old lure of a scent of a woman. While the females stay nice and comfy in their burrows, the males are on the prowl. Usually nocturnal, the mature tarantulas (about 6-7 years old like condors!) venture out in the daylight looking for a Stella to play opposite their Stanley. Gennet also reminds that despite their creepy reputation, tarantulas are very gentle and are not a threat to people. Sure, keep your distance with them (when threatened they can shoot out spiky hairs from their abdomens which are sharp and painful), but these critters aren’t going to chase you down. While it sounds like scientists know a lot about tarantulas, they are a little-researched critter. Like other common wildlife, we really don’t know that much about them, says Gennet about the secret life of tarantulas, which makes them even more the spooky and mysterious. And that’s just how we want our wildlife this time of the year.*key spooky laughter* #HappyHalloween # Theraphosidae #TarantulaTemptation Source: SoCalWild.Com "March of the Tarantulas" by brendarees *no audio* Video Description: A tarantula crawls along through dry yellow grasses, in a very creepy spooky way.

You spin me right 'round baby, right 'round, like a condor baby, right 'round, 'round, 'round... Happy #FledglingFriday every one! ¡Feliz #ViernesDeVolantón a todos!... Our nestling, #1048, will soon be a fledgling!!! Condors usually take their first flight around 180 days, and that's less than a week away for this big chick! Already with a wingspan the size of their parents, this chick isn't just being silly here, but they are strengthening themselves and learning to control those enormous wings! #YouSpinMeRound #LikeACondorBaby #FledgingIsFun Video Description: A young California condor flaps its wings vigorously while spinning around on a rocky and shrub oak covered cliffside then settles down. The nest cave is just to the right of the bird in the middle of the frame.

We are happy to introduce wild condor...well, actually we're not sure who we're introducing today! Last week one of the condor biologists trapped an untagged sub-adult condor in the flight pen at Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge. While it was great to trap an untagged bird so that we can figure out who this mystery bird is, there was an ulterior motive to this condor capture. Currently there are four juvenile condors that were hatched and raised in captivity in the flig...ht pen alongside this unknown bird. Since condors are social birds, the Condor Recovery Program has found that by putting a mentor bird in with the "pre-release" or captive-raised birds, the younger birds can better integrate with the wild flock once released. We need to be mindful of our seasons however, which is why we trap a sub-adult. The young condors need a bird that is older than them, but the biologists also don't want to take away any birds' chance of pairing up for the coming nesting season. This is why a sub-adult is chosen, it is older than the juveniles being held for release, but not quite old enough to breed. A big cue for the biologists choosing the right bird is the mottled head, as condors reach sexual maturity the black juvenile head slowly morphs into the bright red/pink head of an adult. Once the pre-release birds are ready to be released into the wild, they will be given a health check and tracking devices. The mentor bird will also be checked out and we will hopefully figure out who this mystery helper is! The mentor has been doing a great job letting the younger ones know who is king/queen of the perch and who gets to the carcass first - essentially how to "condor" in the real world. Photo by Nadya Seal Faith, Santa Barbara Zoo

Does everyone remember condor #980 from the nest cam last year? ¿Todos recuerdan el cóndor # 980 de la cámara nido el año pasado? Today, we are wishing #980 and their parents, mom #563 and dad #262 a happy #Fledgiversary!!! Exactly one year ago today, this chick became a condor and took to the skies. Re-watch #980 fledge from last years live stream camera hosted by Cornel Ornithology Labs. ... Stay tuned, because our current wild nesting chick, #1048, is almost at 180 days old, which is right around the time condors take their first flight. #FledglingFriday #HappyFledgiversary #YouCanFledgeIfYouWantTo Visual Description: On a tan colored cliff face to left of the screen, a condor is perched in a cave, its nest. It leaps off, wings spread, and soars down to the bottom left of the frame. At 25 seconds the condor returns on the same path it left from and returns to its cliffside cave perch.

INIKO UPDATE, condor #1031, from Executive Director of Ventana Wildlife Society, Kelly Sorenson. ACTUALIZACIÓN INIKO, cóndor # 1031, del Director Ejecutivo de Ventana Sociedad de Vida Silvestre, Kelly Sorenson. "Baby Condor Iniko, who was forced out of his/her nest for the first time on Friday, was rescued on Monday afternoon by the Ventana Field Crew after discovering Iniko sustained a leg injury. Iniko's father, #167 Kingpin, has been missing since the Dolan Fire burned t...hrough the Condor Sanctuary in August, leaving #190 Redwood Queen to care for Iniko by herself. Iniko was ready to fledge,(fly for the first time), when six-year-old male condor #729 Ninja started to push in on Kingpin's territory and forced Iniko out of the nest on Friday, October 16. Iniko landed safely below the redwood tree and was protected by mother Redwood Queen as Ninja continued to display territorial behavior. It is not surprising that Ninja began to move in on the former territory of male condor Kingpin, but Redwood Queen prevailed in protecting Iniko. Thanks to Condor Cam, powered by explore.org, viewers from all over the world have watched Iniko grow up in a cavity of a redwood tree in Big Sur, California. All was good at first until the Dolan Fire ripped apart this condor family. With Kingpin out of the picture and having survived the wildfire itself, Iniko's fate was never certain. Watch Iniko's story on Ventana Wildlife Society's website. After careful observation by the VWS Field Crew, it was determined that Iniko’s departure from the nest resulted in a leg injury that would require treatment. The rescue occurred yesterday morning, Monday October 19, and Iniko is now safely at the Los Angeles Zoo for care. Condors are typically released into the wild at 1.5 years old. After some time at the zoo, Iniko will be released to the wild next year. This rescue would not have been possible if not for the efforts of Redwood Queen who fiercely protected her chick, both in the nest and on the ground. While it tugs on our heart that Redwood Queen returned to find her young missing, it is comforting to know that Iniko lives and Redwood Queen will raise young again, maybe even as soon as next year. The addition of Iniko and other wild-fledged condors, gives us hope for a brighter future. We remain committed to ongoing releases of captive-bred condors in central California so that we can Restore the Big Sur Flock." #BornInTroubledTimes #InikoLives #VentanaWildlifeSociety

Ever have that experience at the dinner table where you just feel like you're fighting all of your siblings/friends/"loved and cherished" ones for a single scrap of meat? We feel ya... Meet the soon-to-be newest members of the Southern California flock! Recently four young condors traveled to the Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge from the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens captive condor breeding program and are set to be released into the wild next month. The Captive ...Breeding Program has been an integral part of the recovery of wild California condors. As long-lived individuals, slow to reach sexual maturity, and producing chicks on average every two years, growing a population can be slow. However, with proven techniques developed by our captive institutions, we have been able to increase the population of condors at a much faster rate. We are excited to eventually see these four condors in the wild! #ManicMonday #HeyThatsMine #CarcassDelight #CarcassMayhem

Family Outing at Bitter Creek Flight Pen! Excursión Familiar en Bitter Creek Flight Pen! That's right, recently our Orchard Draw family was seen on a family outing at the Bitter Creek Flight Pen. Dad (#328), mom (#216), and most recent chick (#989) spent a fun-filled family funday together! They were able to check out all of the sights too - they spent time at the "water park", they were able to get a quick snack at the local restaurant, and they were even able to beat the he...at (or you might even say they had it "made in the shade") together! We're happy to see that all three of them are doing well and we look forward to seeing #989 becoming more and more independent, and eventually flying around solo with the rest of the flock. #familytime #familyfunday #HispanicHeritageMonth

The Condor Cave is coming to you LIVE from Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge! Thursday, October 15th at 1:00pm (PST) ¡La Condor Cave viene a ti EN VIVO desde el Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Bitter Creek! Jueves 15 de Octubre a la 1:00 pm (PST) Join U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Park Ranger Daniel Cook from the beautiful hillsides of Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge as he celebrates National Wildlife Refuge week the best way we know how - Condor Style! He will ...be joined by Nadya Seal Faith, Conservation & Science Associate for the Santa Barbara Zoo, with just under a decade of experience with the California Condor Recovery Program, she will share her experiences working with condors at Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge and what makes this refuge such a wonderful place for condors. You'll want to tune in because we will also be introducing some new VIPs (or should we say VICs?) to the Southern California flock on this LIVE post next week on Thursday, October 15th at 1:00pm (PST). Add it to your calendar, and tell all your friends! #NationalWildlifeRefugeWeek #CommunityInTheWild #HispanicHeritageMonth Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Oh shucks...aren't I just the cutest thing you ever did see?? ¿¿No soy la cosa más linda que has visto?? Our Toms Canyon chick may be losing its chick downy feathers, but it is looking more dapper each day! It won't be long until this chick is joining its mom and dad in the sky.... #condorsarecuterthankittens #HispanicHeritageMonth #WildlifeWednesday Photo by Christina Partipilo, Santa Barbara Zoo

FLEDGLING FRIDAY ALERT!! Great news from our partners up at Pinnacles National Park! Condor chick 1027 was the first chick in their flock to take to the skies, becoming a "full fledged" member of their condor crew. Exciting news, hopefully our chick at Toms Canyon won't be far behind. #FledglingFriday