PHOTOS: ALECIA SMITH
MONTHLY PROGRAMS
SEPTEMBER 2025
Topic: "A Brief History of the California Condor"
Speaker: Debbie Parisi - board member Friends of California Condors, Wild & Free
​
The California condor was listed as an endangered species in 1967. In 1987 California Condors were on the verge of extinction with only 27 alive, as the last free flying condor, AC9, was taken from the wild. In 1992, the USFWS began reintroducing captive-bred condors to the wild to reestablish the population. Today, there are over 560 birds with over half of them flying free in the wild in various populations including California, Arizona, and Baja Mexico. The California Condor is a resident of the local area and can be found in the mountains behind Ojai, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Piru, and Santa Barbara.
​
The Recovery Program is currently focusing its efforts on the captive breeding and reintroduction of California condors to the wild in the hopes of establishing a self-sustaining population of two geographically separate populations, one in California and the other in Arizona, each with 150 birds and at least 15 breeding pairs.
SUPPORT US
The support of our community is critical to ensuring that people today and 100 years from now have the opportunity to connect with nature and will get to experience our state’s wild places firsthand.
Ventura's wildlife and wild places define our landscape, bring us joy, and show us how important it is that we protect our natural world.
UPCOMING EVENTS
NESTING BIRDS
Please postpone any tree-trimming until the fall when the tree can be reassessed for trimming. Much tree-trimming is unnecessary, not helpful for birds, and bad for the tree, such as topping and over-thinning.
Please see our Tree Trimming Guidelines for more recommendations on tree-trimming.
GO BIRDING
Ventura County provides many recreational opportunities in a beautiful natural setting. Good birding is one of the Central Coast’s finest recreational features. The Central Coast is strategically located on the Pacific Flyway and provides habitat to many resident and migratory birds.
