Condor B9 Soars into Oregon, First Free Flight Since 1904

A two-year-old female condor named B9, part of the Northern California Condor Restoration Program (NCCRP), completed a historic 380-mile round-trip flight from Orick, California, to near Medford, Oregon, becoming the first condor to fly free in Oregon since 1904. - B9, hatched in Idaho in 2024, was released in the redwood region last fall and began her journey on May 12, 2026.

- She flew west to within 12 miles of Redding, crossed the Trinity Alps and Marble Mountain Wilderness, and reached within 8 miles of Medford. - On her return, she spent a night near Cave Junction, detoured to Brookings, Oregon, and arrived back at the NCCRP facility on May 16.

- The flight expanded the flock's range by 25 miles north and 35 miles east, covering about 80 miles in Oregon. This milestone follows the flock's first nesting attempt earlier in 2026, when condors A0 and A1 laid an egg that failed to hatch.

The NCCRP expects improved breeding success next season.