Greater Roadrunner
Image: Animal Wonders (cc-by-nc)
NameGreater Roadrunner
Common NameGreater Roadrunner
Scientific NameGeococcyx californianus
FamilyCuculidae
Wingspan (cm)52
Length (cm)55
Weight (g)365
Plumage DetailsIts plumage is streaky brown and white, with a shaggy crest and a long, dark tail often tipped with white. It has a distinctive patch of bare skin behind the eye, which can be blue and red.
Vocalization / CallVocalizations include a descending series of cooing sounds, often described as 'coo-coo-coo-coo-coo', and a rapid, dry clattering sound made by snapping its mandibles.
Primary Dietcarnivore
Primary Habitatsdesert, scrubland, chaparral, open woodland, grassland
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeFound in the southwestern United States and Mexico, extending from California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas south through most of Mexico.
Identifying Featureslong, shaggy crest, long, dark tail with white tips, streaky brown and white plumage, bare skin patch behind the eye (blue and red), long legs and zygodactyl feet, ground-dwelling and fast runner
Description
The Greater Roadrunner is a large, long-tailed, ground-dwelling cuckoo known for its ability to run at high speeds. It typically inhabits arid and semi-arid regions, where it hunts a variety of small animals.
