California condor chicks take flight at Oregon Zoo’s Jonsson Center

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) --- A dozen California condor chicks are developing flight feathers and taking short flights at the Oregon Zoo's Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation this month. The young birds, which hatched earlier this year, are preparing for eventual release into the wild.

The Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation is located on Metro-owned land in rural Clackamas County, Ore. The facility's remote location minimizes human exposure to help increase the birds' chances of survival in the wild.

The California condor was among the original species protected under the 1973 Endangered Species Act and remains critically endangered. In 1982, only 22 California condors remained in the wild, prompting wildlife officials to bring the remaining population into human care by 1987. Breeding and recovery programs have since expanded the global population to more than 600 birds, most of which are flying free.

Nicole LaGreco oversees the Oregon Zoo's condor recovery efforts. She reported that the first chick left its nest box last month, while the remaining 11 are flapping and hopping closely behind.

“They're not full-fledged condors yet,” LaGreco said. “But they'll be feathered and flying on their own soon enough, getting ready to soar off into the wild.”

Earlier in September 2026, nine condors from last year's cohort departed the conservation center for release sites in California and Arizona, where they will join free-flying populations. Since 2003, more than 150 chicks have hatched at the Jonsson Center and more than 100 zoo-reared condors have been sent to field pens for release. Additionally, several eggs laid by zoo condors have been placed directly into wild nests to hatch.

Upgrades and equipment at the Jonsson Center receive support from U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, the Avangrid Foundation and donations to the Oregon Zoo Foundation.

The 12 young condors will remain with their parents for at least eight months before moving to outdoor pre-release pens for about a year ahead of their return to the wild.