Pinnacles National Park announced Wednesday that one of 16 condor nests identified in the state is located within the park. Five other nests involve Pinnacles condors, of which there are 30, but are located elsewhere.
“Looks like it is going to be a busy year for the California Condor Recovery Program,” the park announced on its Facebook site, noting that Condors 340 and 236 “are a newly formed pair and are nesting together for the first time.”
Condor 340, the birds are numbered — not named — previously attempted nesting at the park with his mate, 444, according to park officials. “Sadly, they did not successfully fledge a chick and last summer 444 died of lead poisoning,” officials said. “Last week, biologists entered the nest to check the fertility of the egg and were able to catch some footage of 340 settling back onto the healthy egg!”
Both parents will take turns incubating the egg until the hatch date in mid-April. Park officials say the birds will continue to spend most of their time in and around the nest until the chick fledges (leaves the nest) in the fall, when they will start touring around Pinnacles with their youngster.
To see video of the nest on Facebook, click here.
For more information, updates and condor profile pages, click here.