User:Rufous-crowned Sparrow/Sandbox/CaliforniaCondor
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For Vultur gryphus see Andean Condor
California Condor | |
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Genus: | Gymnogyps Lesson, 1842 |
Species: | G. californianus |
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Gymnogyps californianus (Shaw, 1797) | |
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The California Condor, Gymnogyps californianus, is a species of bird in the New World vulture family Cathartidae. It has the largest wingspan of any bird found in North America. The California Condor is currently one of the world's rarest bird species and also one of the greatest conservation success stories.
Currently, this condor only inhabits the western coastal mountains of the United States, Baja California, and the Grand Canyon. It is primarily a scavenger, feeding on carrion. This species belongs to the New World vulture family Cathartidae, which is more closely related to storks than the Old World vultures, which are in the family Accipitridae along with hawks, eagles and kites.
According to a 2005 report of the California Department of Fish and Game, the total population of California Condors both captive and wild is 273.