Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)                                                                     

Key Characteristics:                                                                                                                                                                        Photo Credit: Randy Raish
The Greater Roadrunner is a large, long-legged bird in the cuckoo family ,Cuculidae. It is one of two Roadrunner species, the other is the Lesser Roadrunner or Chaparral Cock. The adult Greater Roadrunner is about 22 inches long , weighting 11 ounces, with a bushy crest and long thick dark bill. It has a long dark tail, a dark head and back, and is pale on the front of the neck and belly.

Habitat:

It primarily inhabits the southwest United States, but the full range includes California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas. The Greater Roadrunner nests on a platform of sticks low on a cactus or a bush and lays 3-6 eggs which hatch in 20 days. Greater Roadrunners are non-migratory and pairs defend their territory year-round. They prefer to run or walk and will fly only when absolutely necessary.

Adaptations to Desert Living:

Greater roadrunner have been observed “sunbathing”. In the morning and on cooler days, they position their scapular feathers so that the black skin on the dorsal apteria can absorb the sunlight and warm the body. They can also cope with the scorching heat of the southwest One way they do so is by reducing their activity by 50% in the heat of midday. Other desert adaptations include entering hypothermia at night to conserve energy, water conservation and salt secreting nasal glands. They are potential predators of quail, sparrows, hummingbirds, insects, scorpions, tarantulas, centipedes, lizards, snakes and mice. To kill small creatures such as rodents, greater roadrunners smash the preys body and head against a rock and then swallow it whole. The Greater Roadrunner is capable of speeds up to 17 mph.

Description:

The head, neck, and wings of Greater roadrunners are dark brown-black and heavily streaked with white, while the breast is mostly white. The eyes are bright yellow and there is a post ocular streak of bare blue and red skin. A particular notable feature is the crest of black feathers, which is raised or lowered at will. There is a long tail and the legs and feet are blue. Food is an important component of the mating ritual. The male will tempt the female with a lizard or snake . If the female accepts the pair will probably mate.
Greater roadrunner pairs may mate for life.

I found this organism to be really interesting because:

The amazing adaptation to desert life, predator skills and omnivorous diet, also I have seen many Wiley E. Coyote and Road Runner Cartoons.

Author:  Glenn Tueffle

References:

University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
Wikipedia GET March 2008