Roadrunner

The Greater Roadrunner, taxonomically classified as Geococcyx californianus, meaning Californian Earth-cuckoo, is a long-legged bird in the cuckoo... more

by Robert Bales

Title

Roadrunner

Artist

Robert Bales

Medium

Photograph - Photo

Description

The Greater Roadrunner, taxonomically classified as Geococcyx californianus, meaning "Californian Earth-cuckoo," is a long-legged bird in the cuckoo family, Cuculidae. Along with the Lesser Roadrunner, it is one of two species in the roadrunner genus Geococcyx. This roadrunner is also known as the chaparral cock, ground cuckoo, and snake killer.
The roadrunner is about 52�62 cm (20�24 in) long, has a 43�61 cm (17�24 in) wingspan and weighs 221�538 g (7.8�19.0 oz). It stands around 25�30 cm (9.8�12 in) tall and is the largest North American cuckoo. The adult has a bushy crest and long, thick, dark bill. It has a long, dark tail, a dark head and back, and is blue on the front of the neck and on the belly. Roadrunners have four toes on each zygodactyl foot; two face forward, and two face backward.
The name "roadrunner" comes from the bird's habit of racing down roads in front of moving vehicles and then darting to safety in the brush.

The breeding habitat is desert and shrubby country in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It can be seen in the US states in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma, and rarely in Kansas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Missouri,lizar killer as well as the Mexican states of Baja California.

Uploaded

January 17th, 2013