Condors Believed to be Nesting in Yurok Country for First Time in 100+ Years

A free-flying pair of condors in the Pacific Northwest recently established the region’s first nest in more than a century.

Based on a series of behavioral changes and an analysis of flight data, the Northern California Condor Restoration Program determined that condors A0 (Ney-gem’ ‘Ne-chween-kah) and A1 (Hlow Hoo-let) may have started tending to a newly laid egg in early February, although actual confirmation of an egg is impossible due to the remoteness of the nesting site. A0 would have deposited the egg within a cavity of an old-growth redwood in the Redwood Creek drainage after months of searching for the ideal location.

“This is a huge moment for our Northern California flock,” said Chris West, the Northern California Condor Restoration Program Manager and Yurok Wildlife Department Senior Biologist. ““It is important to remember that these are wild birds. We trap them occasionally for health monitoring, but if they nest, and how successful they are, is totally up to them, with as little interference from us as possible.”

NCCRP is thrilled by this development, although much can still happen between now and the potential hatch day. In wild populations, the initial egg produced by a breeding pair of condors frequently exhibits low survival, due to the adults’ lack of experience with the incubation and care process.

“I have been waiting for this moment since the first condors arrived in 2022,” said Yurok Wildlife Department Director Tiana Williams-Claussen. “As a scientist, I know I shouldn’t get my hopes up too high, but that doesn’t mean I can’t cheer for these young parents’ success.”

https://kymkemp.com/2026/03/03/condors-believed-to-be-nesting-in-yurok-country-for-first-time-in-100-years/