The Greater Roadrunner is a ground-dwelling bird that measures about 20.5–24 inches (52–61 cm) in length, with a wingspan of around 19–22 inches (48–56 cm).
It has speckled brown and black feathers on its back and wings, with a lighter throat and chest marked by dark streaks. The roadrunner has long legs, a very long tail, and bright yellow eyes. It also has a small crest on its head. The male has a patch of bare skin behind the eye that can appear blue and red.
The Greater Roadrunner is most common in desert areas, but it can also be found in chaparral, grasslands, open woodlands, and agricultural areas.
The Greater Roadrunner eats small snakes, lizards, mice, scorpions, spiders, ground-nesting birds, and insects. It also eats fruits and seeds.
The female lays 3-6 eggs in a stick nest lined with grass. The nest is usually placed in a low tree, bush, thicket, or cactus 3-15 feet (0.91-4.6 m) above the ground.
Males do most of the incubating because they keep a normal body temperature at night. The female’s body temperature drops at night.
If a predator comes too close to the nest, the male runs in a crouch until he is a short distance away from the nest. He then stands up, raises and lowers the crest on his head, flashes the blue and red patches on the sides of his head, and calls out in an attempt to lure the predator away from the nest.
The chicks hatch in about 20 days. Both parents care for the young. The chicks leave the nest at 18 days old and can feed themselves at 21 days old.
The Greater Roadrunner has a lifespan of 7-8 years in the wild.
The Greater Roadrunner gets its name from its strong running ability. When startled, it usually runs instead of flying away.
It is a weak flyer, but it can run at speeds of up to about 15–20 miles per hour (24–32 km/h). It uses its long tail like a rudder to help it balance and quickly change direction while running.
The Greater Roadrunner is a member of the cuckoo family.
It is also known as the Chaparral Cock, the Ground cuckoo, and the Snake Killer.
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The Greater Roadrunner can be found in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. It is also found in Mexico.
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