Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley.
| www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
California Condor
Eben McMillan
26 February 1964
[illegible] Jackrabbit Carcasses. This Condor stood looking at
this Carcass until a Raven came and lit below on the hillside
about 30 feet away. The Condor flew to where this Raven was
and drove the Raven into the air by running and flapping
Towards it at 11:03 A.M. After Raven had left the area this
Condor walked back up the hill near where the rabbit Carcass
was and stood gazing at it then moves up and crouching with
knees bent and body close to ground, stretched its neck as
far as possible and picked at the rabbit carcass with its
beak. In nibbling at this Carcass it was moved a bit, at
which this Condor jumped back and walked away, then
flew into the air and moved uphill and hovered above the
deer carcass at 11:07 A.M. This Condor returned and landed
near the lower rabbit carcass again at 11:09 A.M., walked
near the Carcass looking down at it with head and
neck stretched forward as a hawk sees turkeys do
when following a snake along in the grass. Now and
then this Condor would flip its wings and jump as if
something had frightened it. Also now and then it would
look behind itself as if to be sure something were
not coming upon it from behind.
At 11:12 this Condor flew from where it had been near the
carcass of one of the lower Jackrabbits and proceeded to
hover above the deer Carcass where several Raven were feeding,
and flying. At 11:13 A.M. it returned and lit near Lower rabbit
carcass again and went through the same procedure of circling
this Carcass and watching it intently. It flew again at 11:15 A.M.