Sick condor?
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by
wreness
moderator
This condor looks sick?
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by
Veegee
Yes it does, looks like it is either being picked on by other birds, or it has some kind of skin disease, molting
going on, maybe due to some other illness. Not a position one sees these birds in for sure!Posted
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Do condors ever develop feather destructive behavior like parrots and some other birds?
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by
zekazoo
scientist
Hi all,
Thank you for bringing this photo to our attention. It is difficult to tell from this picture alone if this condor is ill. I agree that the bird looks a little pale, which can be a sign of submission or illness. Its position and feather condition are not of particular concern to me however. Condors often assume this position when feeding. And when these birds' sizeable feathers are molting (which is a majority of the year) they can stick up at all angles before they finally fall out. Finally, the fact that this condor has the prime feeding position is another good sign that the bird is ok. As we crunch the data from your observations we will be able to notice whether quantitative changes in feeding behavior (i.e. feeding only when alone, increased average distance from carcass) coincide with known lead poisoning events for these individuals. This will help us better monitor condor lead poisonings in the future, and understand the effect of lead poisoning events on social status.
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