WILD and FREE

In All of His Magnificence,  California Condor #17. 
His gray head, shows he’s an immature Condor. He won’t be fully red-headed until 6 years old. The feathers around his neck look sparse, but they’re wet with blood. This carrion eater’s recently stuck his head into a carcass. That’s why he’s drying his wings in the sun. They are very neat and clean birds.

Here’s the thrill for me., this is one of 83 Condors flying free in the Arizona wild (276 total wild). These birds are highly endangered,. In the 80’s all were seized from the wild to start a captive breeding program. Though successful, the major cause of death today is lead poisoning from bullets found in carcasses. 

The Peregrine Fund monitors the Az birds. All are outfitted with a number and a tracking device. We’re near the Vermillion Cliffs where captive condors are released, but they want the birds to return periodically to check up on them. So every few weeks they have a ‘carcass party’, sometimes attracting 60 Condors. Those with lead poisoning are captured, treated and released.


Back from the jaws of extinction, this young Condor shows miracles do happen.