a press release. Researchers now wonder how many other bird species can reproduce in such a way.The discovery of the virgin births was made during a routine check as part of the zoo’s breeding program — part of a conservation effort that began in the late 1980s when the California candor population dropped to 23 worldwide.
While the candor chicks had a genetic link to a female condor, there was no such link to a male. The zoo said it was the first time two instances of asexual reproduction — or parthenogenesis — has been confirmed in the birds.
It was also the first time such virgin births were seen in birds that had access to male birds since the female birds were housed with males.