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Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley.
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Transcription
Gymnogyps californianus
July 8, 1946
Nr. Cholame, Calif.
Flat. About 8 a.m. I visited the calf carcass where
I previously flushed 11 condors. It was now de-
flated, crawling with thousands of maggots, 4 had
been torn open in several spots as if by coy-
otes. I found a few bits of down but now out
by from condors - apparently no extensive scat
feeling then. In the mud about 100' from carcass
I found no condor tracks. About ¼ mile from
this carcass on a ridge I placed a large white
angora rabbit, about 2 days dead, which I had
found along the highway. About 9:15 a turkey
vulture was on the old calf carcass. 9:30, fair
5. breeze, sky ⅓ cirro - stratus; about 75°F. I
scanned for condors but spotted none until 9:50 - then I saw a
calf about 20° E. of calf carcass. I drove to a hilltop
about 1 mile NE of carcass. At 9:55 I saw a second
carcass at road edge 100± yds. E. of calf, then 3 turkey vul-
tures, 420+ yds. further E., across the dirt road, a third condor. The
nearest Surford was 100± yds. W. of the carcass. Breeze
fair from S.W. at 10:01, a luggard, then 3 condors,
took off & began to circle & rise over the carcass - a
car passed 300± yds. to S. of them about this time. The
3 were 2 adults & a ragged immature. At 10:04
another 2-adult & min. - circled 100+ over the 3,
the 4 turkey vultures slightly higher.