They may not be the prettiest birds you’ve ever seen, but that bare head is perfectly designed to keep rotting food from sticking to it as the birds eat. They even have a very hardy and effective immune system, so they don’t get sick from any of the bacteria they may come in contact with when feeding on decaying wildlife.īald is beautiful. Adult California condors have a distinctive pink head and neck that is bare of feathers. Condors also bathe frequently and spend hours smoothing and drying their feathers. After eating, they clean their head and neck by rubbing them on grass, rocks, or branches. They can reach flying speeds of up to 55 miles per hour (88 kilometers per hour), and they can fly to altitudes of 15,000 feet (4,600 meters).Ĭondors are neat! Some people think of vultures as "dirty,” but California condors are pretty tidy birds. Condors catch thermal air currents that rise up as the sun heats the ground, and with those huge wings they can stay aloft for hours, soaring through the skies as they scan the fields below. The structure of condor wings and the placement of the feathers allow these large birds to soar. That’s when their impressive wings are shown in all their glory revealing that distinctive white patch. When in flight, California condors are a sight to behold. It can be distinguished in flight from other vultures by the large, triangular white patch under each wing. Some call it the thunderbird because they believe the bird brings thunder to the skies with the beating of its huge wings. Indigenous tribes in North America have great respect for the condor and see it as a symbol of power. Fossil records indicate that these birds once inhabited present-day Florida and New York as well. At one time there were thousands of California condors across the western United States and into Mexico. They are known for their enormous black wings, extraordinary eyesight, and an inquisitive and engaging intelligence. The magnificent thunderbird. California condors are one of the largest flying birds.
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