November 2009
The Greater Roadrunner
Order Family Genus and species
Cuculiformes Cuculidae Geococcyx californianus
The roadrunner is a small bird found in the southwest
and western United States and is well known for its running
ability. It is a very quick and agile bird that is found in the
arid environments along the southern coast of the United
States and a species that prefers to live in
areas containing scrub brush, otherwise known as chaparral.
This has
caused the human population of these areas to nickname the roadrunner
the "chapparal cock." This environment
affords a steady supply of lizards and other small animals and insects
which make up the roadrunner diet.
Although the roadrunner is found from Louisiana
to California and from Arizona to Mexico, the state of New
Mexico has chosen this particular bird as their official state bird.
Native American tribes throughout this area
often used the roadrunner feathers to drive away
evil spirits and served a useful purpose as did the bald eagle
feathers which were incorporated into the colorful headdresses which
are quite prevalent in the western motion
pictures. The eagle feathers were believed
to impart bravery and cunning to the wearer and were highly
prized.
The coloring of the roadrunner can be clearly seen in the image located
above. The mottled color blends well into
the roadrunner's surroundings and aids in hiding
from its enemies and also allows is an advantage over its prey.
Roadrunners are one of the fastest running birds
in the world and can attain a speed of 15-16 mph. Although
the
roadrunner is capable of flight, it is reluctant to do so and
when threatened, it often chooses to lay motionless on
the ground. Its best defense, however,
is its ground speed and its darting and weaving ability which often
leaves
its would be predator in a cloud of dust.
Males find a suitable female with which to breed
and remains with that mate for life. Nests
are built near cactus
plants, to discourage predators from trying
to rob the nest, and are built off the ground and are lined
with leaves,
feathers, small sticks and snake skins.
Roadrunners sometimes catch snakes for food, but rather than trying to
fight the snake, the roadrunner uses its speed to outwit the snake.
Roadrunners are not immune to snake venom
so they must use agility to enable it to grab
the snake by the head. It then beats
the snake violently against any
convenient hard surface until the snake
is dead. The snake is then dragged up into the nest where it is consumed
by adults and baby roadrunners alike, as seen in the above graphic.
During the cold nights in the desert, roadrunners
have the ability to lower its metabolism to conserve energy
which makes it sluggish and easy prey for a predator who might happen
along and is willng to put up with
the sharp barbs of the cactus. After the rising of the morning
sun, it takes roughly 2 hours for the roadrunners
metabolism to return to normal and for
it to get ready for its daily routine. When alarmed or searching
for
prey, the roadrunner will lift its tail to roughly a 45 degree angle,
as in the graphic above, and will lift its head
in an upright position as it alertly scans the horizon for signs of
danger.
The roadrunner pictured above is standing on a cactus with its nest
almost hidden, directly behind it. The large
grasshopper, clutched in the roadrunners beak,
is one of the staples of its diet because the grasshopper and
other small insects are plentiful, easy to catch,
and pose no danger to the roadrunner. The soft bodies of the
insects are also easy to eat and digest and are
ideal food items with which to feed their young.
Roadrunners weigh from 10 oz to 1 lb. are around
2 ft. long including a 10 inch tail, have a wingspan
of 1 1/2 ft. and
reach sexual maturity in approximately 1 year
with
the mating season stretching from early April to late May and from
July to September. Female roadrunners lay
around 5-7 eggs, although the normal amount is 4 to 5. The
incubation
period is around 3 weeks and the female
is capable of having up to two broods per year.
The
normal lifespan of the
roadrunner is up to 10 years in the wild, and
slightly more than that in captivity.
Although there are several roadrunner species
which are endangered, the greater roadrunner is certainly not one of them.
The environment in which they live, and their adaptability to that
environment, ensures that they will survive far into the future.
Click play, (below)
to hear roadrunner sounds.