April 17, 2006
Condor Update as of 14 April 06
From Marker Marshall, Interpretive Ranger, Grand Canyon National Park:
New since Kathy's 12 April update: another nest has been discovered in southern California, with a visible egg. (The female is just six years old, and the male only five!) That brings us to 5 nesting attempts in California so far this year, and 3 in Arizona.
Condors seem to have finally started roosting overnight below Lookout Studio/Bright Angel Lodge again, so there is now a good chance of seeing condors at the Condor Talk. (At least if the warm weather holds? Meets daily in front of Lookout Studio at 3 p.m.) Apparently there is a bighorn sheep carcass near 2 mile corner on the Bright Angel Trail, so at any time of day the Village and the Bright Angel Trail may be good places to look for condors.
California Condor AZ Update - 12 April 2006
This condor update is provided solely for the purpose of disseminating information to project cooperators and other interested parties. For media requests, please contact Kathy Sullivan directly at 928-214-1249 or ksullivan@azgfd.gov.
Condor Breeding
By the end of March, there were three condor nests in Arizona. Condors 133 & 158 were nesting in a cave on the North Kaibab Forest – this is their first nesting attempt. Peregrine Fund biologist Eddie Feltes actually verified this nest by observing the egg inside the nest cave.
Condors 187 & 136 are also nesting on the North Kaibab Forest, utilizing the same nest cave as last year. Last year was their first nesting attempt and the nest failed just before hatching. Hopefully this year they’ll produce a chick. The egg is not visible in this cave, but the adults’ behavior indicates that they’re incubating.
The third pair, condors 119 & 122 (parents of condor 350 from 2004) are nesting in the Grand Canyon again, though they chose a different cave this year – verified by a long hike and observations from Peregrine Fund biologist Roger Benefield. The future of 119 and 122’s nest is uncertain however, since 122 is currently in captivity (see lead exposure section).
Condor Releases
Three captive-reared condors (337, 353, 354) were released at the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument on 2 March 2006. Three additional condors (232, 241, 273) were re-released after being temporarily held for behavioral reasons. There are currently 58 free-flying condors in Arizona/Utah with 10 birds awaiting release in 2006.
Condor Lead Exposure
One of the three condors being treated for lead exposure, condor 134 is still recovering at the Phoenix Zoo. He has finally started gaining some weight and seems to be on the road to recovery, but he’s not out of the woods yet, since the other two birds being treated eventually succumbed to lead poisoning (see condor mortality below).
Condor 122 was captured on 25 March 2006 after he appeared lethargic. A field blood test indicated lead exposure. He was transferred to the Phoenix Zoo the next day for treatment. 122 was nesting with condor 119 in the Grand Canyon. It is likely that 122 will remain in treatment for several weeks, so the fate of this nest is in question. Supplemental food was placed near the nest for 119, but she may abandon the nest if 122 is not present to help incubate the egg and/or brood the chick.
Lead Reduction Efforts
The Arizona Game and Fish Department and The Peregrine Fund hosted a non-lead ammunition shooting-booth at the Shooting Showcase on 25-26 March 2006 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility north of Phoenix. Federal Ammunition donated approximately 1000 rounds of non-lead rifle ammunition and provided a representative for the event. Rifles were also loaned free of charge by a local gun shop. The booth ran like clockwork thanks to the help of Chris Parish and Eddie Fetes of The Peregrine Fund. Over 500 shooters were educated about the potential effects of spent lead ammunition on condors. The response was positive and we plan to host another non-lead ammo booth next year.
Five hundred and forty letters were mailed to spring turkey hunters drawn for hunts within condor range in Arizona (Units 9, 10, 12A, 12B, 13A, 13B). These hunters are being asked to use non-lead ammunition during their hunts. Lead pellets have been removed from the digestive tracts of condors seven times in Arizona, so educating turkey hunters and all potential coyote hunters, in addition to big game hunters, can only help our lead reduction efforts.
Approximately 7,000 lead reduction letters will be mailed to big game hunters this fall, and about 2,000 of these hunters will be eligible for our free non-lead ammunition program.
Condor Mortality
Condor 304 (3 year old male) died on 16 March 2006 at the Phoenix Zoo from complications due to lead toxicity. This bird was trapped late in the fall/winter season due to its late return to the release site. 304 received three rounds of chelation and surgery for crop stasis. A radiograph revealed a lead fragment in the bird’s digestive tract.
Condor 149 (10 year old female) died on 20 March 2006 at the Phoenix Zoo from complications due to lead toxicity. This bird was also trapped late in the fall/winter season due to its late return to the release site. 149 received three rounds of chelation and a blood transfusion. 149 was a successful breeder; she nested in 2004 and produced condor 342.
The Peregrine Fund and AZ Game and Fish are working on developing portable condor traps so birds can potentially be trapped even if they don’t return to the release site.
Condor Movements
Now that the weather is warming up, there are more condors visiting the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Spring is also a good time to see the birds around Navajo Bridge (Already reported in the AZ Master Naturalist Blog at this link) and the river corridor. As spring progresses, the many birds will likely resume their frequent visits to the Kolob Canyon area in Utah. As always, the release site is a guaranteed condor hot spot.
News from California
There are four nesting pairs in California – 3 in southern CA, and 1 in central CA. This marks the first nest in central CA since the reintroduction project began. The central CA nest also marks the first condor nest in a tree cavity since the early eighties - the nest is in a giant redwood tree. One of the southern CA nests has likely hatched. The parent’s behavior suggests they are feeding a chick.
Condor Numbers (Approximate)
Total population - 274
Captive – 143
Wild - 131
Arizona – 58 (2 birds being temporarily held)
10 awaiting release
California – 59
11 awaiting release
Baja – 14