First condor chick of 2010 hatches at Oregon Zoo

Oregon Zoo in Portland proudly announced the arrival of its first California Condor chick of the year. The chick hatched on April 14 to foster parents Atishwin (shown below) and Ojai.

“Our first hatching went beautifully,” said keeper Kelli Walker. “The chick looks healthy. It’s growing well and starting to shuffle about the nest room. With any luck, another bird will hatch this week ­­–– and we have hopes for two more after that.”

After 30 to 45 days, keepers will give the chick a medical checkup, including inoculations against West Nile virus.

“We try to handle the condors as little as possible,” Walker said. “Not only is human contact upsetting to the parents, we’re preparing these animals for a life in the wild. Even if bred in captivity, we ensure that chicks are raised by condors, learning condor instincts and behavior.”

Last year, the Oregon Zoo’s Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation sent three condors to the Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho, for release into the wild. The largest land birds in North America, California Condors might have wingspans of up to 10 feet and an average weight of 18 to 25 pounds. Highly intelligent and inquisitive, they require a lot of parental investment in the wild.

California Condors thriving at Oregon Zoo

Oregon Zoo's condor breeding program recently took four California Condors to The Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho. The three females -- Yak'Mo (#496), Ewauna (#481) and Kalak-ala (#487) -- and one male (Atfa'lai'i, #479) were hatched and raised at the zoo and will be released into different regions. Ewauna and Kalak-ala will be released along the California coast; Yak'Mo in Arizona; and Atfa'lat'i in Baja California, Mexico.

Zoo staff returned from Boise with five condors that will live in the zoo's Johnsson Center for Wildlife Conservation, and two -- male Alishaw (#90) and male Maluk (#55) -- will participate in the breeding program. Three will live in a large pre-release pen until they can be released into the wild.

Three of the new residents include male No. 461 (left), male No. 465 and female No. 464.

In a press release, condor curator Shawn St. Michael said, "Given the very social nature of condors and the slow maturation of juveniles, it's important to keep the youngsters with a mentor so they learn proper behavior. If left to their own devices, as is common for human teenagers, they will get into all sorts of trouble."

Oregon condors gettin' busy

Another California Condor at Oregon Zoo laid an egg in late February. Ojai, a 22-year-old condor, produced the egg on Feb. 24 at the zoo's Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation.

"We weighed and examined the egg, and all appears to be in order," says Shawn St. Michael, assistant condor curator. "We should know whether or not it's fertile in a few weeks."

Tama laid the first egg of the breeding season on Feb. 17.

Condor egg at Oregon zoo

Last Saturday, the oldest "reproductively active" California Condor at Oregon Zoo laid the first egg of the breeding season. Tama laid the egg at the zoo's Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation, and she will sit on it for two weeks before zoo staff remove and candle it to see if it's developing normally.

If all is well, the egg will be incubated artificially until early to mid-April, when it is likely to hatch. Assistant Condor Curator Shawn St. Michael said, "Once we see an external pip, we will immediately return the egg to Tama."

The Jonsson center currently houses 17 condors. You can learn more about the zoo's role in the California Condor Recovery Program here.

Photo of Tama courtesy of Oregon Zoo