• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	C2a(i); D	C2a(i); D1

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2020	Critically Endangered	C2a(i); D
2018	Critically Endangered	C2a(i);D
2017	Critically Endangered	C2a(i);D
2016	Critically Endangered	C2a(i);D
2015	Critically Endangered	C2a(i);D
2013	Critically Endangered	C2a(i);D
2012	Critically Endangered	C2a(i);D
2010	Critically Endangered	D1
2009	Critically Endangered	D1
2008	Critically Endangered
2006	Critically Endangered
2004	Critically Endangered
2000	Critically Endangered
1996	Critically Endangered
1994	Critically Endangered
1988	Threatened

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	medium
Land-mass type	continent	Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	405,000 km2	medium
Number of locations	2-5	-
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	93 mature individuals	good	observed	2020
Population trend	increasing	good	estimated	2003-2022
Generation length	18.57 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	3	-	-	-

Population justification: There are currently 201 adults in the wild that are old enough to breed (age 5 and older), and 93 have produced viable offspring. Twenty-three wild birds turned five years old in 2019 and 17 more will turn five years old in 2020.  A total of 141 wild birds are 8 years old or older, the observed average age of productivity (i.e. producing young when greater than or equal to eight years of age). Since mature individuals (as defined by IUCN) only includes individuals in the wild that are currently capable of reproduction, and re-introduced individuals must have produced viable offspring before they are counted as mature individuals, the current global population sensu IUCN is 93 mature individuals as of March 2020 (USFWS California Condor Recovery Program, unpublished data).

Trend justification: Wilbur (1978) states that the vulture population during the period 1920-1950 numbered more than 70 birds. Today, owing to an intensive captive-breeding and reintroduction programme, the world population comprises 518 individuals and is continuing to increase (USFWS 2019, S. Kirklank in litt. 2020). However, population growth in all three sub-populations (Arizona/Utah, California and Mexico) is currently occurring as a result of the continued release of captive bred birds as mortality currently exceeds natural recruitment into the population from wild fledged birds (USFWS 2019).

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Mexico	extant	reintroduced	yes
USA	extant	reintroduced	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Mexico	Sierra de San Pedro Mártir
USA	Big Sur
USA	Grand Canyon National Park- Raptor Migration Points
USA	King City Grasslands (formerly Salinas River - Middle)
USA	Marble Canyon and Vermilion Cliffs
USA	San Emigdio Mountains
USA	Santa Lucia Peaks
USA	Tehachapi Mountains
USA	Zion National Park UT20

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Temperate	major	resident
Savanna	Dry	suitable	resident
Shrubland	Temperate	suitable	resident
Altitude	450 - 2000 m	Occasional altitudinal limits	(min) 0 m

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Biological resource use	Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Persecution/control	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Past, Unlikely to Return		Majority (50-90%)		Rapid Declines		Past Impact
		Stresses Species mortality
Biological resource use	Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Unintentional effects (species is not the target)	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Species mortality
Energy production & mining	Renewable energy	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		No decline		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Viral/prion-induced diseases - West Nile Virus (WNV)	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Future		Majority (50-90%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 3
		Stresses Species mortality
Pollution	Agricultural & forestry effluents - Herbicides and pesticides	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Reduced reproductive success
Transportation & service corridors	Utility & service lines	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Past, Likely to Return		Minority (<50%)		No decline		Past Impact
		Stresses Species mortality

Purpose	Scale
Pets/display animals, horticulture	international

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: California Condor Gymnogyps californianus. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/california-condor-gymnogyps-californianus on 24/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 24/11/2024.