The Greater Roadrunner belongs to a large avian family, the Cuculidae, which includes the Yellow-billed and Mangrove Cuckoos as well as larger, more terrestrial species such as the Rufous-Vented Ground-Cuckoo of Central and South America. The Greater Roadrunner’s scientific name, which translates to “Californian earth-cuckoo,” shows its affinity with this latter group. It’s the only ground cuckoo found in North America.
This charismatic cuckoo is also called Chaparral Cock, Snake Killer, Paisano, and Medicine Bird. It’s the basis for a popular Warner Brothers cartoon character, a frequent team mascot, and is the state bird of New Mexico.
Instantly recognizable, the Greater Roadrunner has a shaggy brown crest, streaky brown and white plumage, a long, dark tail, and a bare patch of orange and blue skin behind each eye. Its long stout beak has a hooked tip that makes it a formidable hunter. Its rather small wings make the Greater Roadrunner a reluctant flier; it prefers to walk or run along the ground, where it can reach speeds of up to 20 mph!
The Greater Roadrunner typically inhabits arid areas with extreme temperature swings. It has developed several adaptations to cope with this sometimes-punishing environment — one in particular shared by many seabirds. What does this “earth-cuckoo” have in common with birds of the open ocean?
Read on to find out more:
https://abcbirds.org/bird/greater-roadrunner
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