Birds

California Condor named 2011 Bird of the Year

California Condor named 2011 Bird of the Year by Audubon California.

One of the world’s rarest and most imperiled birds today has been named the 2011 Audubon California Bird of the Year. The California Condor received the designation after it received nearly 35 percent of votes cast during an online poll this fall. Although the bird can be found in several southwestern states and in Mexico, it is a distinct part of California’s natural heritage – so much so that it is depicted on the California version of the U.S. quarter.

The California Condor is among the most majestic birds to ever take flight. One of the largest flying birds in the world, its wingspan can reach more than nine feet.

The California Condor has been in sharp decline for more than 100 years. It was first listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 1967, and in the mid-1980s reached a low of 22 individual birds. Since then, an aggressive captive breeding and release program by a group of government agencies and nonprofit organizations has built the population up to 394 total birds, 205 of which are in the wild.

Audubon’s involvement in the preservation of this important species began back in the 1930s and continues with Audubon California’s work today. In 2007, Audubon California led the effort to reduce the risk of contamination from spent lead ammunition in the condor’s historical range. More recently, the organization has been working with regulators and wind generators to ensure that measures are taken to protect California Condors from risks posed by wind turbines.

Nearly 10,000 votes were cast in this year’s Bird of the Year poll. The California Condor received 34.6 percent of the votes, narrowly beating out the lesser-known Black Oystercatcher, which received 33.6 percent. A distant third was the Western Snowy Plover with 8.7 percent and the Sandhill Crane with 8.1 percent.