2 CONDOR GROUPS MEET IN WILD.

Byline: Associated Press 

Call it a feathered fiesta.

Two groups of condors released 35 miles apart in the Los Padres National Forest have recently discovered each other. Since then, they've been hanging out in pine trees, rubbing beaks, cleaning each other's feathers, roosting together and even sharing a meal or two.

Wildlife biologists trying to save the endangered species from extinction couldn't be more ecstatic about the socializing between the two groups, given past deaths in the recovery program.

The first group of 13 condors was released in the Lion Canyon area of the national forest last year, and four younger birds were released just six weeks ago at Castle Crags in San Luis Obispo County. All are equipped with radio transmitters.

Biologists were surprised how quickly the Lion Canyon flock discovered their younger counterparts at Castle Crag, although the condors are known for their excellent eyesight and gregariousness.

``It's almost like they have a sixth sense,'' said Marguerite Hills, deputy project leader of the California Condor Recovery Program. ``These birds are just 2 years old, they had never traveled more than several miles, and yet they just seemed to beeline for these young birds.''

The initial March 31 meeting between the groups was the first time that distinct groups of California condors raised in captivity had initiated a meeting in the wild.

The recovery program has had its share of setbacks. Between 1992 and 1994, six condors released in Ventura County died from various brushes with civilization, including ingestion of antifreeze and electrocution from power lines. Those deaths caused program officials to look for more remote territory in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties to release the birds.

There is one downside, however, to the two groups meeting sooner than expected. While the birds at Lion Canyon were raised by human beings manipulating hand puppets, the birds at Castle Crags were raised by condor parents. Biologists can no longer compare the progress of both groups separately.

On the other hand, the Lion Canyon condors, who are a year older than the Castle Crag birds, can show the younger birds a thing or two.

``One of the advantages of having the two groups meet up is that the Lion Canyon birds are going to be guiding these younger birds out over that whole range of mountains,'' biologist Chris Barr said. ``They are going to start getting into a lot more back country.''

On Thursday, five of the birds, including two of the youngsters from Castle Crags, found a carcass in the Cuyama Valley. Not all five fed on it, but the younger birds had an opportunity to see how they are supposed to find their food.

Both sets of birds, though, are still years away from breeding age, which is 6 for condors.

Biologists got another good sign recently when one of the female condors from Lion Canyon soared 85 miles in one day, the longest recorded flight of a condor raised in captivity.

Condors, with their nine-foot wing spans, are capable of going 150 miles in one day.