Condors in House Rock Valley

The California condor is said to be one of the world's rarest and most imperiled vertebrates. It was first listed as an endangered species in 1967. Quoting from "Land Use History of North America - Colorado Plateau, "The condor is a member of the family Cathartidae, the New World vultures, a family of seven species, including the closely related Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) and the sympatric turkey vulture (Cathartes aura). California condors are among the largest flying birds in the world. Adults weigh approximately 10 kilograms (22 pounds) and have a wing span up to 2.9 meters (9 ½  feet)." 

We drive through the House Rock Valley, below the Vermilion Cliffs quite frequently and for years we have stopped and looked for condors. We often heard reports that they were sighted at the Grand Canyon, or near Navajo Bridge. Finally, we decided to make a major effort to spot the elusive birds. For the past few times we have gone through House Rock Valley, we have stopped at the release point, which is just north of Highway 87A. We heard from the people at the tourist store at Navajo Bridge that the condors sometimes roost near the bridge. 


With this in mind, our trip to northern Arizona included a goal to find the condors. We spent three days looking without results and then on the last day of our trip, on the way back down to the desert, we stopped off at Navajo Bridge. At first we could not see any signs of the birds. But then I saw what I thought was a condor land on a rock some distance from the bridges. There are two bridges at Navajo Bridge, the old one is now a walkway. The newer one is for traffic. Shortly, the first bird was joined by three more. They flew back and forth under the bridges and perched on the rocks of the cliffs. It was spectacular. 


More later on the condors.