The San Gabriel Thunderbird (Thunderbirdus sangabrieli) has been spotted occasionally in the Fish Fork, Prairie Fork, and Lupine areas of the San Gabriel Wilderness for more than 523 years. Believed to nest in caves and rock outcroppings, the large bird (wing span of the adult female often exceeds 15 feet) is rarely seen due to its unique ability to blend in with its surroundings in a cameleon-like manner.
Although its primary diet consists of rodents and fish, it has been known to dine on young deer, bighorn sheep, and the occasional slow hiker.
Young (2 - 3 per nest) are hatched during the early spring. Parents alternate sitting on the eggs, with the non-sitting parent supplying food. Immature birds are black, and lack the ability to rapidly change color.
