During our travels we are always looking for gems. These are the sites or activities that stand out above all others. This is one of those gems.

On our last trip, spring 2009, we had an opportunity to view the California Condors at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in Arizona. 

The California condor is the largest flying bird in North America with a wing span up to 9.5 feet and a weight of 16 to 23 pounds. Their body length is 46 to 55 inches. Now that is one big bird.  The condors live up to 60 years and reach adult maturity at 5 to 6 years of age.

This large bird was on the edge of extinction in 1982 with only 22 birds left. In 1987 a controversial plan to capture all wild condors was completed. The plan was to captive breed the condors with hopes that wild populations could again be reestablished.

Beginning in 1991 captive condors where again released into the wild. By 2009 the wild population of California Condors is over 170 in the wild. There are three main populations, California, Baja California and the one located in Arizona.  For Arizona the release point is Vermilion Cliffs.

It was here at Vermilion cliffs that we stopped to view the condors. We arrived on a clear blue morning at the condor observation pull out. The pullout is located a few miles north of Hwy 89-Alt on the House Rock Road. At the pull out there are a number of panels discussing the condors and their release at Vermilion Cliffs. There is also a picture of a condor with its wings out spread that you compare your own wing span to. 

We were able to get closer to the cliff by following a small road that heads to House Rock Spring. At the end of this road we found a parking area and a biologist that is a part of the Peregrine Fund Condor Release Program.  We spent quite a bit of time discussing the condors with her. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn more about both the condors and the recovery program.

About 5 days before we arrived here there had been a release of 4 additional condors at the site. We learned from the biologist that one of the newly released condors had not survived the bad weather of the last few days. This is a sad bit of news in an otherwise very successful program.

We had our spotting scope with us so we were able to really view the cliffs well. At the top we were able to see the release cage which had a number of condors’ perched on it. We also were able to see a number of roost areas on the cliffs, many marked white by the bird droppings on the cliff face. With a careful eye we were also able to see a few of the nesting sites that were pointed out to us. One of these nesting sites was for a new pair that was making their second attempt at hatching a nestling. We hope they are successful this year.