Abstract
For the third year in a row the public has a unique opportunity to get up-close and personal with a California Condor chick through livestreaming video of a nest. The chick and its parents live in the remote mountains near Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Ventura County, California. The camera was made live for the public today by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service along with partners, including the Cornell Lab of Ornithology which will carry the live camera on its Bird Cams website.
“We are excited to share with the world another view into a California Condor nest, and allow the public a glimpse into the day-to-day activities of these amazing birds,” said Joseph Brandt, supervisory wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Hopper Mountain NWR. “The livestreaming nest camera allows people from around the world to personally connect with these magnificent and endangered birds and learn what is needed to save them.”
Female condor #513 and her mate, male #206, are raising their single chick tagged #871, 50 days old as of today. This is their third attempt at nesting together although this is the first year they are featured on the Cornell Lab Bird Cams site.
“Webcam viewers will see the rich social interactions of these intelligent birds, such as the two adults sharing parental duties, and their interactions with each other and the chick,”said Dr. Estelle Sandhaus, director of conservation and research at the Santa Barbara Zoo. “Condor chicks actually engage in ‘play’ by pouncing on and grabbing feathers and sticks, for instance. It’s a thrill to watch the chick grow, learn, and play under the watchful eyes of its dedicated parents.”
Last year’s livestreaming video of a California condor chick hatching gained worldwide attention—nearly 1 million views from 150 countries amounting to 36 years of watching time.
“Last year’s live condor cam at Kofords Ridge gave tens of thousands of viewers across the world their first close up view of what it takes to raise a condor,” says Cornell Bird Cams leader Charles Eldermire. “This year, we’re excited to introduce a different condor family, trying for their first successful nest on the open cliffs of Devils Gate.”
Unfortunately the chick featured on last year’s nest camera died due to unknown causes, but biologists and other conservation partners are hopeful for a successful year of California Condor breeding, with at least 11 active nests...