The Last Adventurer

What Not to Watch for – Imposter Birds: A couple years ago, when we were driving from the South Rim to the North Rim, we pulled out at one of many locations around the canyon, and watched a colony of condors comfortably waiting out the afternoon heat under the shade of a bridge girder. They were beautiful birds. On our last trip, we were told that condors had been seen around the village of the South Rim. Specifically, we were told they were viewed right by the Artist’s Overlook, right near the heart of the village. For bird watchers, and conservation enthusiasts, this was big news. Condors are rare enough birds that it is amazing just to see them; but more amazing to see them so close to human habitation.

We were torn. We didn’t like watching wildlife from a horde of people. It’s hard on the animals, and it’s hard on one’s patience. In the end, we decided to go check it out. The next day we strolled over to the Artist’s Overlook. And we looked. There was the canyon, in its geologic splendor. There was the sky, pale desert blue, marred by white clouds. All around us, there were tons of people bustling about. But no condors. The only animals we could see were a flock of the very large Grand Canyon ravens perched just below the rim. Now, I am sure that the condors had probably been there, because out of all the people that frequent the village, at least one – and perhaps more than one had the ornithological knowledge to distinguish condors from ravens. But, I was also sure while I was standing there that some people around me thought the ravens were condors. I knew this because they kept making comments to the effect of, “Wow, those condors are sure neat”. (Trust me; these birds were most definitely ravens, not condors. Large ravens, but not condors.) So be warned. Around the South Rim, there are birds masquerading as other birds. Not all condors are condors. Some condors, as it turns out, are garden variety ravens.