California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) Fact Sheet: Distribution & Habitat

Historic distribution (Birdlife International 2015; Campbell 2015)

• British Columbia to Baja California, east to western edge of Colorado
• Traces of evidence of a wider distribution (D'Elia and Haig 2013)
• Texas, Florida, New York, Mexico
• Sharp decline during the 20^th century, with increasing human habitation in western U.S.
• Disappeared from outside California, U.S., ca. 1937

Present distribution (Birdlife International 2015)

• Primarily southern and central California
• San Gabriel Mountains, near Los Angeles, north through mountainous areas east of Santa Cruz
• Arizona
• Occasional sightings in other western U.S. states
• Utah
• Colorado
• Wyoming
• Baja California, Mexico
• Reintroduction program
• Few birds
• Largely restricted to the Sierra de San Pedro Martir

Vegetation and terrain (Rivers et al. 2014b; Birdlife International 2015; Finkelstein et al. 2015a, and as noted)

• California Condors possess broad habitat and climate tolerances
• Open or semi-open grasslands and woodlands
• Rocky, open scrubland
• Coniferous and deciduous forests
• Oak savanna
• Seashores and coastal dunes of the Pacific Coast (Rivers et al. 2014b; Campbell 2015)
  • Historically important habitat
  • Gradually being used by recolonizing birds
• Nesting sites
  • Cliffs
  • Rocky outcrops
  • Large trees

Elevation range

• 450-2,000 m (1,476-6,562 ft) (Birdlife International 2015)

Habitat needs

• Open space for foraging (D'Elia and Haig 2013)
• High perches for launching flight (D'Elia and Haig 2013)
• Wind for soaring flight (Rivers et al. 2014b)
• Nesting sites for breeding (see Reproduction)

California Condor Distribution
Adapted from www.d-maps.com according to IUCN fact sheet. Click here or on map for detailed distribution (IUCN).

Also see distribution map from USFWS.