Definition

Noun 1. A very large, critically endangered vulture native to North America: The California condor is a species of New World vulture, characterized by its immense size, predominantly black plumage with distinctive white patches under the wings, and a bald head. It is one of the world's rarest bird species.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The California condor has the largest wingspan of any North American bird.
  • Conservationists are working tirelessly to save the California condor from extinction.
  • We were lucky to spot a California condor soaring over the canyon.

Advanced Usage

• "A symbol of conservation": The California condor is frequently cited as an icon for wildlife conservation and recovery efforts due to its dramatic population decline and subsequent captive breeding program.
  • The successful reintroduction of the California condor is considered a landmark achievement in conservation biology.

Variants and Related Words

• Condor (n): The common name for the two species of large New World vultures, which includes the California condor and the Andean condor.
• Gymnogyps californianus (n): The scientific (Latin) name for the California condor.

Synonyms

• New World vulture: A broader category of vultures found in the Americas, to which the condor belongs.
• Scavenger: Describes its ecological role of feeding on carrion (dead animals).

Related Phrases

• Critically endangered: The official conservation status of the species, meaning it faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
• Captive breeding program: The coordinated effort to breed the species in controlled environments (like zoos) to increase its population for eventual release into the wild.

Noun

1. North American condor; chiefly dull black; almost extinct