Condor couple may be tending a first egg in Northern California in a century

Wildlife officials say a released California condor pair tracked in Redwood National Park may be caring for an egg, which would be the first nesting recorded in Northern California in more than a century.

A pair of California condors released into Redwood National Park may be tending an egg, Yurok wildlife officials say. The birds are known by the Yurok names Ney-gem' 'Ne-chweenkah' and Hlow Hoo-let and have been tracked visiting a remote site near Klamath. If confirmed, this would be the first condor nesting recorded on the North Coast in over a century. The pair were captive born and released in 2022 as part of the Yurok-managed reintroduction effort. Known details: - Yurok officials report GPS tracking suggests the birds may have laid an egg in early February. - The presumed nest is in an old-growth redwood in backcountry Humboldt County and cannot be seen because the location is remote and largely inaccessible. - The birds, identified as A1 and A0, are nearly seven years old and are the oldest members of their 2022 release cohort; they are the only birds in that group old enough to reproduce. - California condors typically lay one egg and nest every other year, with parents alternating incubation; the egg is sensitive to temperature and early failures are common. - Officials say the earliest a hatch could occur is in early April if an egg is present; a chick would still take many months to fledge and be confirmable. - The Yurok release followed a multi-year feasibility and planning process; there are now more than 200 free-flying condors in California, but lead poisoning remains a primary threat. Summary: The possible egg would mark an early breeding milestone for the Yurok-managed reintroduction and for Northern California’s return to historic range. Confirmation is not yet possible because the nest site is inaccessible and officials are relying on GPS and remote observations. Early April is the soonest a hatch could occur, and assessment of a surviving chick could take several more months as condors fledge slowly.