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“There have been efforts to solve the problem of lead exposure in California — state regulations now ban the use of lead ammunition in condor habitat. There was a partial ban that began in July 2008 and was then expanded. So far, researchers haven’t found any evidence that the ban has resulted in a the blood lead levels of condors being reduced.”

According to the article, the lead in birds traces back to ammo. But if you eliminate the ammo and the birds still get leaded, seems to me something in the initial hypothesis is wrong.
In my experience with lead absorption- the battery business- time flushes lead out of the system. If these birds have a constant diet of lead, seems like every picture you take of condor feeding would include a leaded carcass.
Sounds like BS to me.

I think the condors are sucking the wheel weights off tires.
Probably the tires on the researcher’s vehicles. I submit California researchers are causing condor lead poisoning.
Ban California researchers and see if the problem doesn’t go away. Bet my hypothesis is as statistically sound as theirs.

According to the article, the lead in birds traces back to ammo. But if you eliminate the ammo and the birds still get leaded, seems to me something in the initial hypothesis is wrong.

Silly rabbit, no amount of contrary evidence can EVER disprove a liberal hypothesis, only show that their powers and jurisdiction aren't widespread enough or that enforcement hasn't been draconian enough.

Occums razor for this would be that the condors find something appealing in ingesting the fragments or chunks of lead wheel weights from cars that litter roadsides. The available quantity is there, and orders of magnitude over the availability of the occasional animal carcass which might have a piece of shot or fragment in it.

As to it's biological availability, it fairly quickly gets an oxide layer on it (which might also have a taste aspect to it if they have a taste ability) and the birds have a crop with stones in it which would abrade it (and may also be another reson they prefer the softer lead as a "crop gravel").

If you doubt the quantity, I cast .44 cal round balls from lead I find, and most of it is from weights found along the freeways, about 10 or so pounds every few months coincident with working along the roadsides.

Another realistic scenario is that they collect crop mass from an area which had a lead rich deposit eroded into it within the last 10,000 years.

Both scenarios are more likely than bullets, especially if they aren't coughing up pictures of the residual bullets or fragments from necropsied birds.