"Roadrunner" redirects here. For other uses, see Roadrunner (disambiguation). This article's citation style may be unclear. The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of citation, footnoting, or external linking. (March 2010) Geococcyx Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae Subfamily: Neomorphinae Genus: Geococcyx, Wagler, 1831 Species G. californianus, G. velox The roadrunners are two species of bird in the genus Geococcyx of the cuckoo family, Cuculidae, native to North and Central America. These two species are the ground foraging cuckoos. Greater Roadrunner, Geococcyx californianus (Mexico and southwestern United States)Conkling's Roadrunner, Geococcyx californianus conklingi - prehistoric, , Lesser Roadrunner, Geococcyx velox (Mexico and Central America), Morphology, Roadrunner species generally range in size from 18 inches (46 cm) to 24 inches (61 cm) from tail to beak. The roadrunner is a large, slender, black-brown and white streaked ground bird with a distinctive head crest. It has long legs, strong feet, and an oversized dark bill. The tail is broad with white tips on the three outer tail feathers. The bird has a bare patch of skin behind each eye; this patch is shaded blue anterior to red posterior. The lesser roadrunner is slightly smaller, not as streaky, and has a smaller bill. The bird is terrestrial; although capable of flight, it spends most of its time on the ground. During flight, the wings are short and rounded and reveal a white crescent in the primary feathers. Roadrunners and other members of the cuckoo family have zygodactyl feet (two toes in front and two toes in back). Roadrunners can run at speeds of up to 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) and generally prefer sprinting to flying. Roadrunners will fly to escape predators. Vocalization: The roadrunner has a dove-like "coo" that is slow and descending. It also makes a rapid, vocalized clattering sound with its beak. Ogg vorbis file of clattering sound made with beak. Link to a greater roadrunner call, Geographic range, The roadrunner is an inhabitant of the deserts of the Southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America. Habitat: Roadrunners live in arid lowland or montane scrub and are often widely dispersed in the dry open country with scattered brush., Migration: Roadrunners are non-migratory birds that reside in their breeding area all year., Link to a distribution map of the Greater Roadrunner from the Cornell lab of Ornithology, Food and foraging habits, Roadrunners are omnivores and are opportunistic. Their diet normally consists of insects (such as grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, and beetles), small reptiles (such as lizards and snakes, including rattlesnakes), rodents and small mammals, tarantulas, scorpions, centipedes, spiders, snails, small birds, eggs, nestlings, and fruits and seeds like prickly pear cactus and sumac. The lesser roadrunner eats mainly insects. Roadrunners forage on the ground and, when hunting, usually run after prey from under cover. They may leap to catch insects, and commonly batter certain prey, such as snakes, against the ground. Geococcyx is the only real predator of the tarantula hawk wasps. Behavior and breeding, Roadrunners are commonly solitary birds or live in pairs. They are monogamous and a pair may mate for life. Pairs may hold a territory all year. During the courtship display, the male bows, alternately lifting and dropping his wings and spreading his tail. He parades in front of the female with his head high and his tail and wings drooped. It has also been documented that the male may bring an offering of food to the female. Nest: Roadrunners' nests are often on a platform nest composed of sticks (nests may sometimes contain leaves, snakeskins, or dung). The nest is commonly placed in a low tree, bush, or cactus., Clutch: Hatching is asynchronous and average a 2-6 egg clutch (the Lesser Roadrunners clutch size is typically smaller). Eggs are generally a white color., Parental care and sizes: Roadrunners have bi-parental care. Both sexes incubate the nest and feed the hatchlings, but males incubate the nest at night. For the first one to two weeks after the young hatch, one parent always remains at the nest. After the hatchlings are two to three weeks old they leave and never return to the nest. For a few days thereafter, the parents and young forage together. Most range from 1-2.6 feet tall., Reproductive Season: spring to mid-summer depending upon species and geographic location., Thermoregulation, During the cold desert night, the roadrunner lowers its body temperature slightly, going into a slight torpor to conserve energy. To warm itself during the day, the roadrunner exposes dark patches of skin on its back to the sun. In popular culture, The Road Runner is a popular character in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, distributed by Warner Bros., The Roadrunner is the state bird of New Mexico., The Roadrunner is the mascot for the University of Texas at San Antonio's athletic teams., The chaparral is the mascot for the College of DuPage athletic teams in Dupage County, Illinois, The athletic teams of Cal-State Bakersfield are the Roadrunners, The rock song titled Roadrunner by Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers is a well-known driving song, Prior to becoming the San Antonio Spurs, the Dallas Chaparrals basketball team of the ABA featured a roadrunner in their logo, The Plymouth Road Runner was a muscle car built by Chrysler Corporation from 1968 to 1980., Roadrunners were featured in the animated movie Rango (2011 film) and were used in place of horses.

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