Contrary Condor

The movie opens with a map showing Donald's footprints crossing from North America toward South America, tracing a path through the Andes. The sequence sets up Donald's restless ambition and his willingness to go to extreme places to achieve his goals.

Donald climbs a near-vertical section of the mountain with plungers strapped to his feet, yodeling as he ascends. The quirky ascent highlights his fearless, over-the-top approach to getting what he wants.

He spots the condor nest and aims to take an egg. One hatchling has already hatched and squawks at Donald's arrival, but Donald shoves the hatchling back into its egg shell. He grabs an egg, hoping for a prize, while the other birds scramble in alarm.

Donald spots Mother Condor overhead and hides in the other hatchling's shell. The mother lands and decides to sit on the egg in which Donald is hiding. The warmth she provides is almost too much for Donald, and he sweats profusely.

The egg cracks, and Donald is nearly crushed by the shell. Thinking quickly, Donald pretends to be a condor, and the mother is convinced, giving him a hug despite the surrounding hatchlings' astonishment.

Mother Condor sends her hatchlings off to learn to fly. The jealous hatchling pushes Donald off the branch, but he clings to a nearby branch as his clothes snag. A passing storm cloud sweeps over, drenching him and complicating his ascent.

Back at the nest, Mother Condor continues to tutor Donald, but he looks down and gets dizzy. He tries to slip away, but the hatchling spots him and pulls him back to the branch.

Seizing a moment, Donald convinces Mother Condor that he has a bum wing, and she cradles him to rest. The jealous hatchling resents the extra attention and begins squawking for his own share of praise.

The jealous hatchling, fed up with Donald's presence, shoves him and sends him flying into the air. He lands on a nearby branch, clinging on as best as he can.

To extricate himself, Donald rigs a decoy made of branches and leaves and hurls it toward the river. The mother Condor, believing her hatchling has fallen, rushes to save it and sobs on the riverbank when the decoy plummets away.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Donald grabs the other condor egg, but the hatchling snatches it away again. He retrieves the egg, but loses his footing and falls into the river while clutching it.

Relieved to see him still alive, Mother Condor gathers Donald and the egg into her arms and coddles them at the nest. That night, the unlikely trio—Donald, the egg, and the hatchling—are tucked together, while Donald mutters angrily under his breath.