Untagged Condors

 

When condors hatch in the wild, biologists try to enter the nests and tag the young birds at about four months old. However, some nests are too dangerous or inaccessible to enter, so the chicks fledge (learn to fly) at about six months old with no wing tags. When that happens, biologists have to wait until the untagged condor comes to one of the trapping sites so it can get a wing tag and transmitter before getting released again.

After these untagged condors are caught, biologists send a blood sample out for DNA testing to confirm who the bird is. Instead of being held in captivity for weeks while we confirm their identity, these condors are released with temporary green tags and then recaptured later so they can recieve the correct tag.

 

Condor 1275 at just a few days old with parent, 868.

NPS/Gavin Emmons

1275

Hatched: 4/7/2024 from a wild nest in Pinnacles National Park
Sex: Male
Parents: Condors 868 and 931
Fun Fact: 1275 is the first chick to both parents 868 and 931, but you wouldn’t guess it with how attentive they’ve been! He was the first of the chicks born in Pinnacles National Park to fledge in 2024. Since his fledge, he has yet to be handled, so he currently flying around without any tags!

 

1292

Hatched: 4/07/2024 in a wild nest outside of the park
Sex: Unknown
Parents: Condors 330 and 317
Fun Fact: This bird is being raised in a nest outside of the park. Our biologists have yet to see it but keep tabs on it by monitoring the parents' movements.

 

Condor 1301 sitting in her nest.

NPS/Gavin Emmons

1301

Hatched: 5/07/2024 from a wild nest in Pinnacles National Park
Sex: Female
Parents: Condors 589 and 569
Fun Fact: This is superstar couple 589 and 569's fourth offspring in a row breaking the traditional pattern of nesting every other year out of the water! She was seen exploring the area around her nest before she could even fly, playing a fun game of hide-and-seek with our biologists. She is an independent, full-grown condor now, exploring the High Peaks with other untagged juveniles.

 

1308

Hatched: 4/29/2024 in a wild nest outside of the park
Sex: Female
Parents: Condors 800 and 747
Fun Fact: Biologists confirmed 1308’s successful fledge when nearby landowners emailed a photo of 747 and an untagged juvenile together near her nest! She was the first of the 2024 chicks to be handled post-fledge and is currently rocking a temporary ID tag of green 14 until they trap her again to give her proper tags. The biologists have not photographed her yet.

 

Condor 1310 standing in their nest.

NPS/Gavin Emmons

1310

Hatched: 5/25/2024 from a wild nest in Pinnacles National Park
Sex: Unknown
Parents: VWS Condors 888, 889, and 913
Fun Fact: This is the first offspring of this trio. Even though this trio are all managed by VWS, they spend most of their time in Pinnacles and picked a great nesting location in the park to raise 1310! Trios are not uncommon in the condor world, but this is the first time Pinnacles has had a successful nesting trio within park boundaries. While it was determined that 888 and 913 were his biological parents, condor 889 was just as involved in the rearing of 1310 from egg to chick. Now, 1310 is fully grown and flying throughout the High Peaks without any of the three parents. He has yet to be handled as well and is currently tag-less.

 

Condor 1358 standing in their nest. Photo taken via a in-nest video camera.

NPS photo

1358

Hatched: 5/2/2025 from a wild nest in Pinnacles National Park
Sex: Unknown
Parents: Condors 589 and 569
Fun Fact: This is superstar couple 589 and 569's fifth offspring in a row, once again breaking the record! Park biologists manage this nest using an in-nest video camera, a still shot of the view can be seen to the left. Both parents have been actively attending to the chick, not a surprise with this superstar couple!

 

Condor 1373 in her nest a couple days old with an inflated left cheek

NPS/Gavin Emmons

1373

Hatched: 4/26/2025 from a wild nest in Pinnacles
Sex: Female
Parents: Condors 868 and 931
Fun Fact: Though 868 and 931 were first time parents last year with condor 1275, they followed superstar couple 589 and 569’s lead and tried nesting again this year breaking the typical pattern of nesting every other year. In the phot to the left, you can see 1373’s cheeks inflated- this is a defense tactic to appear larger to potential predators.