Animals · Oregon, United States
A California condor flies into Oregon for the first time in 122 years
Two-year-old B9 completed a 380-mile loop from Redwood National Park, the first free-flying condor documented in the state since 1904.
Published 6 November 2026 · Original report 2 June 2026 · 3 min read
Originally reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) on 2 June 2026
Read the full storyA two-year-old California condor named B9 has flown into Oregon, the first free-flying condor documented in the state since 1904. The bird set off from Redwood National Park and completed a loop of about 380 miles over four days, flying north through Redding and then entering Oregon near Medford, Cave Junction and Brookings. The flight took place in May 2026, and the Yurok Tribe's condor restoration programme shared the news. California condors were brought back from the brink of extinction through a captive breeding and release programme, so a bird reaching new territory is a sign that the population is spreading. The original report from OPB includes the route and the background to the programme.
Why we picked this: A bird that was nearly lost is flying into country it has not reached in more than a century.
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