2020 Bird Portrait contest finalists

Jim Shane of Meridian, Idaho, photographed this California Condor in December 2019. Here's his story about the image:

"As the primary photographic volunteer for The Peregrine Fund, I get opportunities to work alongside the wildlife biologists working to rescue raptor species in decline or already Critically Endangered. In December 2019 I spent three days working with the field biologists in northern Arizona who monitor and care for California Condors that have been released into the wild from the Vermillion Cliffs facility. This bird (#16) had been trapped, tested, and subsequently quarantined for lead poisoning — the most common cause of death for these birds. In quarantine, the birds receive two chelation shots per day to fight the lead poisoning and, upon recovery, are released back into the wild on a cliff over the northeast end of the Grand Canyon. I accompanied wildlife biologist Josh Young when he released #16 and one other bird. After a short period of enjoying free flight, #16 settled on some rocks at the edge of the cliff and posed for this image. One of the bird’s two tracking monitors is partially visible in the image."

Equipment and settings: Nikon D850 and Nikkor 80-400mm zoom lens at 400mm, hand-held. Settings were f8 at 1/640th with an ISO of 1600.