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Greater Roadrunner

Geococcyx californianusOrder: CUCULIFORMESFamily: Cuckoos and Roadrunners (Cuculidae)
Greater Roadrunner Portrait
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Range Map for Greater Roadrunner

Overview

Greater Roadrunner: Large, ground-dwelling cuckoo with overall brown, white and buff streaked appearance. Head has a shaggy crest. Face has blue and orange bare patch of skin behind eyes. Tail is long. Eats insects, lizards, snakes, rodents, small birds and fruits and seeds. Can run up to 15 mph.

Range and Habitat

Greater Roadrunner: Resident in southwest U.S. and Mexico; found in open, arid country with scattered thickets.

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Voice Text

"coooos"

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Related Birds:

Black-billed Cuckoo
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Long-billed Thrasher
Curve-billed Thrasher
Smooth-billed Ani
.

Copyright © 2005 WBFI Research Foundation Bird database and its related content and media is Copyright (C) 2002 - 2005 Mitch Waite Group All rights reserved.

Family Roadrunners and Cuckoos (Cuculidae)_blue
Species Geococcyx californianus
Length20 - 24 Inches
Wingspan32 Inches

Greater Roadrunner

Greater Roadrunner: Large, ground-dwelling cuckoo with overall brown, white and buff streaked appearance. Head has a shaggy crest. Face has blue and orange bare patch of skin behind eyes. Tail is long. Eats insects, lizards, snakes, rodents, small birds and fruits and seeds. Can run up to 15 mph.

● Song: "coooos"

● Foraging & Feeding: Greater Roadrunner: Diet consists mainly of insects, snails, lizards, scorpions, spiders, young birds, small mammals, and in winter, plant material. Famous for its ability to prey on rattlesnakes; picks snake up by the tail and kills it by slamming the head onto the ground.

● Breeding & nesting: Greater Roadrunner: Two white to pale yellow eggs are laid in a flat stick nest lined with grass, and usually built in a thick shrub or cactus close to the ground. Eggs are incubated for 20 days mostly by the male.

● Similar species: Greater Roadrunner: None in range.

Flight Pattern

Alternates several shallow rapid wing beats with long glides.
Greater-Roadrunner Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Greater Roadrunner: Resident in southwest U.S. and Mexico; found in open, arid country with scattered thickets.
BreedingMonogamous, Thought to pair for life, Solitary nester
PopulationFairly common to common
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight13.2 Ounces