Condors In Zion Appear To Be Caring For Newly-Hatched Chick
May 30, 2019, 9:51 AM
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A pair of California condors in Zion National Park appear to be caring for a newly-hatched chick, park officials said.
The park’s Facebook account posted video of the two condors — identified as 409 and 523 — as they “strengthen and renew their social bonds during a nest exchange,” according to the post.
“Recent behavior changes from these condors have given park biologists reason to believe the egg has hatched,” the post states. “While incubating their egg the condors would switch nest-sitting duties every 3 to 4 days but now they are switching almost every day. The chick is likely around 3 weeks old.”
According to officials, the parents will need to continue keeping the chick warm for up to 30 days, after which the chick will be able to thermoregulate its own body temperature. The chick is expected to become more mobile after this time, allowing biologists to get their first look at it.
The California condor is the largest land bird in North America, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, with a wingspan of more than 9 feet. In the early 1980s, there were only 25 – 35 condors in existence, prompting the creation of the California Condor Recovery Program. As of 2017, the total world population of the condors reached 463.
