California Condor
“Big Bird” Watching is Returning to the Wild
By Dixie Brunner
While there are many species of birds to view in southern Utah and northern Arizona, there’s only one really big bird soaring the friendly skies over the Vermilion Cliffs/Grand Canyon area - the rare and majestic California Condor!
California Condor photograph courtesy Scott Frier/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Photo by Scott Frier.
Bird watching is rapidly becoming a national pastime and hobby for many, and few birds are more majestic to observe in flight than the California Condor.
California Condors are the largest land birds in North America. With a wingspan of nearly 10 feet, they can weigh up to 22 pounds. Adults are primarily grayish-black except for triangle shaped patches of white underneath their wings. The patches are visible when condors are flying overhead and offer a key identification characteristic.
The Condor is a member of the vulture family, and feeds exclusively on dead animals such as deer, cattle, rabbits and large rodents. They often forage for food in social groups, soaring at up to 50 miles per hour and traveling 100 miles or more a day.
The Vermilion Cliffs area was chosen as a reintroduction site for the endangered species, due to its remoteness and similarity to the California Condor’s habitat. The project has been successful, with an eventual goal of establishing a wild population of up to 150 birds.
The best places to view the California Condors along Highway 89A and facing the Vermilion Cliffs include: Marble Canyon Lodge, Vermilion Cliffs Lodge, Cliff Dweller Lodge, the Dominguez-Escalante Interpretative Area and the House Rock Valley Overlook.
