It’s hot, you’re sweaty and tired from carrying a heavy backpack into the mountains. For hours, you’ve been sitting on an uncomfortable rock in the sun, biting insects all around, waiting. Then it happens. Off in the distance, you see a huge bird silhouetted against the sky. It’s a California condor, a critically endangered species living right here on California’s Central Coast. It lands on a neighboring spire of rock. The excitement is undeniable. You didn’t think they would show up today, but here they are. Click, click, click! You’ve gotten the shot you’ve been waiting for, and now you’re hooked.

This has been my experience photographing California condors. I was first introduced to them while working for Ventana Wildlife Society, a nonprofit reintroducing the species to Monterey County. I immediately fell in love, partly because of the challenge of reaching the remote places where these birds live, but mostly because of the condors themselves.

The California condor is the largest land bird in North America and an obligate scavenger. They eat what many other wild animals don’t: dead, rotting meat; helping clean up the environment and reducing the spread of disease. But their importance goes beyond their ecological role. The more time I spend with them, the more I appreciated them as individuals.

Condors are social animals with a hierarchy, and each bird has a distinct place within it. Some are affectionate partners, some are no-nonsense, some are dominant, and others are more easygoing. All are quirky and curious, and their interactions can be surprisingly relatable. Over the past four years, I’ve become familiar with many members of the flock, learning their individual personalities and behaviors. I love sharing their images, stories, and fascinating biology with other people in the hope that they, too, will come to see how incredible these birds are. Because condors are critically endangered, getting to know them has been an emotional roller coaster of joy and loss. As I continue to photograph and learn about them, I hold on to the hope that the ongoing efforts to save them will succeed. 

Learn more about the threats condors face and how you can help: www.ventanaws.org
For more condor photos, information, and stories, follow @meredith.e.photo on Instagram.