Friends of California Condors Wild & Free

06/21/2026

Nice work!

Alan Coles never gave up on maintaining the sublime yet underutilized trails near Lake Piru. The Pothole Trail in particular, north of the lake and leading into Los Padres National

06/19/2026

Happy Fun Fact Friday 🎉

Even though it’s summer, our mornings can be cold. Did you know California condors can use and move their neck feathers to create a “scarf” 🧣to keep warm?!
These feathers, called a ruff, can be moved and adjusted, lowered in the hot weather to keep cooler, and raised in the colder temperatures to provide extra insulation around their heads and neck; retaining body heat.

Images by: S. Sommers

06/16/2026

From trash duty to Bird Curator working to save condors. Thank you Bill!

A young bird enthusiast went from picking up trash at a zoo to raising condorsShare this article.BILL TOONE’S LOVE for birds began when he was just six years

06/15/2026

In 1967, a one-year-old California condor was found weak and malnourished in the mountains of Ventura County, weighing just 17 pounds. Rescuers brought him to the Los Angeles Zoo. After ten days of rehabilitation, they released him back into the wild. But no adult condors were nearby. He could not survive on his own. He was returned to the zoo permanently.

They named him T**a T**a. He became the first California condor to live in a zoo. In 1978, he became the first to be exhibited to the public. By then, the species was running out of time. The wild population fell to just 22 birds. In 1987, every remaining condor was captured and brought into managed care. The survival of the species would depend entirely on breeding in captivity.

T**a T**a sired his first chicks in 1993. He kept producing. Over the following decades, his genetic line grew to roughly 300 descendants. As of April 2026, 94 of them are flying free in the wild.

The total California condor population has now grown from 22 to more than 600 birds. The species is still classified as Critically Endangered. Lead poisoning remains the leading cause of mortality for wild condors, and recovery depends on continued breeding, monitoring, and release.

T**a T**a is 60 years old. He still lives behind the scenes at the LA Zoo's Condor Recovery Center, and he is still producing chicks. He arrived as a fledgling that could not feed himself. Six decades later, his descendants outnumber the entire population that existed when his species nearly vanished.

Sources: Los Angeles Zoo / CBS Los Angeles / U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service / KTLA

06/15/2026

It’s not surprising that lead is killing condors, since that has been their number one killer for years and years. What is surprising, is that they are still getting lead-poisoned despite the ban on hunting with lead ammunition. New research has identified some reason reasons why

California condors are making a comeback, but researchers say a surprising threat is still slowing the birds' recovery: lead ammunition.

06/14/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out to help make our Condor Country Nature Festival a success. It was great seeing all of the volunteers and all of the guests having a wonderful time!

06/13/2026

Come have a wild time at the Condor Country Nature Festival at Shiell’s Park in Fillmore CA

06/12/2026

Happy Fun Fact Friday!!

Have you ever wondered why California condors necks or faces seem to change size?!

That’s because condors have specialized air sacs that can inflate and deflate, located on their necks and cheeks! They can inflate these air sacs, showing off their vibrant colors 🌈 These air sacs serve several purposes, one being for using communication among other condors. They may also inflate these sacs during courtship, or to show aggression or even excitement. California condors do still have standard air sacs internally, as do all birds, in addition to their lungs.

So the next time you see a condor maybe you will notice this display🤞

06/05/2026

Happy Fun Fact Friday!!

Did you know that The Oregon Zoo has hatched at least 7 California Condor chicks this season?! More chicks are expected but all are growing and eating well thus far! Eventually these chicks will be moved to a pre release site, awaiting their chance to free fly in the wild! https://www.oregonzoo.org/news/seven-chicks-and-counting-zoo-welcomes-first-california-condor-chicks-2026

California condor chicks will stay with their parents for at least 8 months, relying on them for food and learning the ins and outs of becoming a wild condor in the future!

Breeding recovery programs like the Oregon Zoo have become a resource for population increases, numbers totaling over 600 now!

Images by USFWS

06/04/2026