Filmed on the Big Sur, California, this astonishing clip exhibits an enormous condor withdrawing from a excessive cliff with out even flapping its wings! Thanks to a phenomenon known as orographic uplift, the airflow is doing all of the exhausting work and all of the condor has to do is hitch a trip. Orographic uplift is generated by slopes that deflect horizontal winds upwards. When a chicken is near the ridge, as this one is, it may well take full benefit. Thermal uplifts may also assist – as air warms up it expands and will get much less dense. It turns into extra buoyant and rises up the slope, giving a strong uplift.
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Where Do Condors Normally Live?
As you’d count on with a reputation just like the California condor, this chicken is present in California. In the previous, they have been discovered alongside your entire Pacific coast of North America. Fossil proof means that they have been even discovered as far east as New York and Florida in historic instances.
Now, they’re endangered and this spectacular largest chicken in North America is proscribed to California, Utah, and Arizona with an extra 160 in captivity.
Where Can You Spot a California Condor?
California condors now solely have a restricted vary.
©pjsells/iStock through Getty Images
These birds nest in distant areas so discovering their nesting websites excessive on cliff faces will not be simple. However, they journey extensively to hunt and feed. Look out for them in central California across the Big Sur coast (as featured on this clip) or across the Pinnacles National Monument. They will also be seen in southern California or across the Grand Canyon. Given their dimension, these guys are fairly distinctive – they’ll have a wingspan of over 9 ft. You could confuse them for vultures however condors don’t teeter. They have additionally been confused for buteos, eagles, and even small planes! Most condors have a big tag on their wing for monitoring. The condor on this clip had tag 1204 and was known as Jade.
How Do Condors Normally behave?
Even although California condors journey lengthy distances to search out meals, they all the time return to the identical nesting and roosting websites. In truth, they spend extra time roosting than flying! They additionally spend a number of time preening their magnificent feathers holding them nicely organized. Sometimes they use water to take away meals and mud. Getting soiled feathers is an occupational hazard for carrion-eating birds and so feather hygiene is essential for them. If decaying materials will get caught to their plumage, they threat getting a nasty an infection!
The picture featured on the high of this publish is © Barbara Ash/Shutterstock.com
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