VIEWING CONDORS

The opportunity to view released condors has never been better. More than one hundred twenty-five birds now fly free—and the number increases each year. Condors can be found in specific locations in Arizona, California, Utah, Baja California, as well as the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park and the Peregrine Fund World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho. Buy Return of the Condor to find out exactly where to go in the wild to find these magnificent creatures. Begin your adventure today. BUY the BOOK now.

Condor Watching

What to bring

Despite a condor's size, using a pair of binoculars will greatly enhance your viewing experience. A birder's spotting scope is also useful, although not essential.

A birding guide, such as The Sibley Guide to Birds by David Allen Sibley or the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America can help you identify not only condors but other birds as well.

Cautions

Biologists want condors to learn to avoid humans and human structures. You can help by not approaching wild condors. Maintain a good distance from the birds, speak in low tones, and keep your movements to a minimum. Do not feed condors, throw objects, or interact with them. If you see anyone harming or harassing a condor, please report it to the authorities. The condor is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Endangered Species Act.

Is It REALLY A Condor?

A bird the size of a condor is easy to identify — once you know what to look for. To the unpracticed eye, however, flying condors can resemble other raptors. Experienced birders know that a bird’s size — especially when it is flying in a distant sky — is not a reliable identification marker. Here are several other identifiers that will enable you to say with certainty, “That's a condor!”

Ask: See that group of birders over there clustered around a spotting scope? Or a ranger or recovery team member? The odds are high that they will be happy to help you identify a bird.

Wing tags: All released condors carry highly visible number tags attached to the leading edge of both wings. The number tags are visible even when a bird is sitting. If you get a good look at a bird and don't see wing tags, it's most likely not a condor.

Flight pattern: Look for strong, steady flight. There's nothing uncertain about a condor's smooth soaring: it does not wobble or waver. The wings are held flat and at their ends you'll see long flight feathers splayed out like giant fingers. Condors sometimes dangle their legs, especially when flying low.

Coloration: A mature condor has a black body and wings. On the leading edge of the underside of each wing is a striking, triangular-shaped white-patch. These wing patches are widest near the body and taper toward the wing tips. The bird also has an orange head and neck, although this may be hard to see at a distance. Newly released juvenile birds have dark heads and mottled white wing patches. As they mature, the adult coloration grows more distinct.

Size: Of course, the condor is gigantic. If you're lucky enough to be able to compare it with other birds, such as Turkey Vultures, there will be no doubt: condors look like small airplanes.

Similar Birds That Can Resemble a Condor

The ubiquitous Turkey Vulture is the bird most frequently confused with a condor. Even though its five-and-one-half-foot wingspan is almost half that of a condor, its soaring flight and similar coloration can cause uncertainty. Here's how to tell the difference:

"Tippy" flight: Soaring Turkey Vultures fly with an unsteady rocking motion. A large black bird in a distant sky with a "tippy" flight pattern is almost always a Turkey Vulture.

V-shaped wings: Unlike condors that hold their wings flat, Turkey Vultures soar with their wings in a dihedral "V-shape."

Two-tone underwings: From a distance, Turkey Vultures look black with gray tones on the back edges of their wings's undersides.

To see the difference, go to the Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Complex for comparison pictures of a condor and a Turkey Vulture.

The much rarer Golden Eagle is another bird sometimes confused with a condor. From a distance, Golden Eagles look dark. With a six-and-one-half-foot wingspan, it's still considerably smaller than a condor. And, of course, it won't have number tags.