The Great Condor Comeback

Imagine standing on a cliff in Northern California as wind sweeps in from the Pacific Ocean. Suddenly, a giant silhouette appears above you: a California condor. It glides by on magnificent black wings that stretch nearly 10 feet from tip to tip. 

Below, the Klamath River winds through a land where the Yurok, an Indigenous people, have lived for thousands of years. For the Yurok, the condor—which they call prey-go-neesh—is not just a bird. It’s a part of the family. The Yurok believe prey-go-neesh carry their prayers to the heavens and help keep the world in balance.

It’s likely that thousands of California condors soared through western skies during the Ice Age. But over time, the species was pushed toward extinction by threats like habitat loss and lead poisoning. By the 1980s, only 22 condors were left in the wild.

Today, though, the condor is making a comeback that once seemed impossible. One of the most meaningful chapters in its survival story is unfolding in the redwood region, where the Yurok Tribe has worked for decades to bring prey-go-neesh home.

The tribe’s effort is not simply about saving a species, says Tiana Williams-Claussen, who leads the Yurok Tribe’s wildlife program. “It’s like bringing a piece of our family back,” she says. “We’re healing ourselves as well as the world.”

Imagine you’re standing on a cliff in Northern California. silhouette appears above you. It’s a California condor. It glides by on magnificent black wings. They stretch nearly 10 feet from tip to tip.

The Klamath River flows through the land below you. The Yurok, an Indigenous people, have lived there for thousands of years. The Yurok call the condor a different name: prey-go-neesh. For them, it’s not just a bird. It’s a part of the family. The Yurok believe prey-go-neesh carry their prayers to the heavens and help keep the world in balance.

During the Ice Age, there were likely thousands of California condors. But over time, the species almost became extinct. Habitat loss, lead poisoning, and other threats were the causes. By the 1980s, only 22 condors were left in the wild.

Today, the condor is making a comeback that once seemed impossible. An important chapter in its survival story is happening in the redwood region. There, the Yurok Tribe has worked for decades to bring prey-go-neesh home.

The tribe’s effort is not simply about saving a species, says Tiana Williams-Claussen. She leads the Yurok Tribe’s wildlife program. “It’s like bringing a piece of our family back,” she says. “We’re healing ourselves as well as the world.”

Condors play an important role in their ecosystem. They are scavengers, which means they feed on animals that are already dead. By eating carcasses, condors help clean up the land and make food available for smaller scavengers too.

The birds are built for their job. They are the largest flying birds in North America and can soar as high as 15,000 feet, using their excellent eyesight to search for food far below. Powerful hooked beaks allow them to tear into flesh. Funny-looking bald heads help keep the birds clean as they feed.

Condors once roamed western skies from Canada to Mexico. But their population declined dramatically in the mid-1800s, as settlers moved into the Western United States. Condors were hunted, and logging destroyed parts of their habitat. Plus, pesticides—chemicals used to kill insects or weeds that harm crops—caused some condors to lay eggs with thin shells that broke before chicks could fully develop.

The biggest threat, though, was—and still is—lead poisoning. If a condor feeds on an animal killed by lead bullets, it can swallow tiny pieces of the poisonous metal. Even a small fragment can be deadly.

Once the species began to decline, it could not easily bounce back. A mated condor pair usually raises only one chick at a time, and young condors take six to eight years to become parents. By the 1980s, the birds had nearly vanished from the wild.

Condors play an important role in their ecosystem. They are scavengers, so they feed on dead animals. By eating carcasses, condors help clean up the land. They make food available for smaller scavengers too.

The birds are built for their job. They are the largest flying birds in North America. They can soar as high as 15,000 feet. Their excellent eyesight allows them to search for food far below. Their powerful hooked beaks let them tear into flesh. Their funny-looking bald heads help keep the birds clean as they feed.

Condors once roamed western skies from Canada to Mexico. But settlers moved into the western United States in the mid-1800s. The condor population declined. Condors were hunted. Logging destroyed parts of their habitat. Plus, pesticides—chemicals used to kill insects or weeds that harm crops—caused some condors to lay eggs with thin shells. They broke before the chicks inside could fully develop.

The biggest threat was—and still is—lead poisoning. A condor might feed on an animal killed by lead bullets. It might swallow tiny pieces of the poisonous metal. Even a small fragment can be deadly.

Once the species began to decline, it could not easily bounce back. A mated condor pair usually raises one chick at a time. Young condors take six to eight years to become parents. By the 1980s, the birds had nearly vanished from the wild. 

The U.S. government soon took a bold step to save condors. By 1987, federal officials had captured all remaining wild California condors and had begun breeding them in wildlife facilities. Within five years, scientists were able to start releasing some condors into their natural habitat. 

Today there are more than 300 California condors in the wild. But for many years, most of those birds lived in Central and Southern California. Farther north, in the redwood region that is part of the Yurok Tribe’s ancestral lands, prey-go-neesh were still missing. In the early 2000s, the tribe came up with a plan to change that.

Working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service, the Yurok Tribe built a condor management and release center on a hilltop in Redwood National Park. The park is an ideal location, experts say.  Its towering redwood trees provide ample space for the birds to rest and find nests when they’re not searching for food.

Condors chosen for the Yurok-led program are brought to the facility before they are released. Young birds are paired with older condors that can act as teachers. 

One of them is a male condor named Paaytoqin. Hatched in 2014, Paaytoqin teaches younger condors critical survival skills, such as how to interact with other birds.

The U.S. government stepped in. By 1987, federal officials had captured all remaining wild California condors and had begun breeding them in facilities. Within five years, scientists began releasing some condors into their natural habitat. 

Today there are more than 300 California condors in the wild. But for many years, most of those birds lived in Central and Southern California. Farther north, the redwood region is part of the Yurok Tribe’s ancestral lands. That area was still missing prey-go-neesh. In the early 2000s, the tribe came up with a plan to change that.

The Yurok Tribe worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service. They built a condor management and release center on a hilltop in Redwood National Park. The park is an ideal location, experts say. Its tall redwood trees provide space for the birds to rest and find nests.

Condors chosen for the Yurok-led program are brought to the facility before they are released. Young birds are paired with older condors, which act as teachers. 

One teacher is a male condor named Paaytoqin. Hatched in 2014, he teaches younger condors survival skills, such as how to interact with other birds.