By the time of the arrival of European settlers in western North America, condors occurred only in a narrow Pacific coastal strip from British Columbia to Baja California Norte. After the 1930s the condors were found primarily in central California, north of Los Angeles. Once a condor reaches six or seven years of age, he or she is ready to find a mate for life. Condors will breed once every other year, with an elaborate courtship flight and dance leading up to mating. Before that, an appropriate nest site must be found.
Condors build simple nests, often using caves in cliff faces to shelter their young from predators.
Raising a condor chick requires tremendous energy and time, so a pair will usually lay only one egg per season. However, they may lay a replacement clutch if their first or even second egg is lost. The egg is incubated by both parents and hatches after approximately 56 days. Both parents share responsibilities for providing the nestling with food and warmth. At two to three months of age, condor chicks leave the nest but remain in the vicinity of the nest where they are fed by their parents.