Summary:

A captive breeding program has helped set California Condors on the path to recovery. But when biologists reviewed the family tree for the breeding program, they found a big surprise. Two chicks had DNA that linked them perfectly to their mothers but didn’t match a single male. They arose through parthenogenesis, developing from unfertilized eggs without sperm from a male. These condors are the first known case of parthenogenesis in a wild bird species where the females had access to fertile males.

Full Episode:
Listen Daily:

BirdNote is sponsored locally by Chirp Nature Center and airs live everyday at 4 p.m. on KBHR 93.3 FM. See more BirdNote stories.

(Content courtesy of birdnote.org.)