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California Condors

            The condor is the largest flying bird in north America, with a body length of 3 1/2-4 1/2 feet and wing span up to nine feet. It can be recognized by its black feathers and pink neck which can show emotion, getting brighter when excited or mating. Looking up on a condor you will notice white patches of feathers. The condor is a master of flight, reaching speeds of 35-55 miles per hour. It takes off by catching rising air currents called thermals. Straight feathers called primaries located at the wing tips help the bird position itself on the thermals. It lands by partly folding its wings and sticking out its feet. Right when the condor looks like its going to crash it lands on its feet. It uses its tail to steer and as a brake. Its feet have no talons like eagles and hawks. Instead its nails are more like toe nails. Its not surprising that the condor has been around for so long with an average life span around 50 years. When the condor gets overheated it cools off by peeing on its feet or defecating on its legs to reduce body temperature. This is called urohydrosis. The condors diet consists of dead animals also called carrion. It does not hunt its own prey.
             The California condor had a major population decline in the 1800's. Some of the reasons for the decline were lead poisoning, poison, shooting and pesticides. The condor would get lead poisoning from eating the carcasses of animals shot with lead bullets and left to rot. Condors were shot by farmers who thought they were killing their cattle and hunters for their prized skins and eggs. In the 1940's a new enemy for the condor arose. That enemy was a pesticide called DDT which caused the eggshells to get so thin that when the parents sat on the egg it cracked. A poisoning campaign to kill coyotes and bears also hurt condors. When a condor ate poisoned carrion it too would die. On March 11, 1967 the condor was placed on the endangered species list.


Essays Related to California Condors

1. Wildlife Conservation

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2. Good Politician

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3. extinction

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4. Creation Myths

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5. Sierra Club

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6. Sierra Club

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