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What is a Greater Roadrunner
Below is a transcription of the above sign found at the Valley of Fire Visitor Center.
Greater Roadrunner – Geococcyx californianus
HABITAT
Creosote Bush Scrub to open Pinyon-Jupiter Woodland
SIZE/DESCRIPTION
Slender bird, 20 to 24 inches (61 cm) long.
Crested head with a long, heavy bill.
Runs very rapidly on the ground or makes great leaps and bounds but only low, short bursts of flight.
Color: dark brown, heavily streaked with black and white; light brown underside, with brown streaks on breast.
FOOD
Lizards (80% of diet), insects, snakes, baby birds, and rats.
RANGE
Throughout the southwestern United States to Mexico.
ADAPTATION FOR SURVIVAL
Colorings aids in absorbing heat during winter, conserving bird’s energy resources when food is scarce.
Breeds in spring, when supply of prey becomes adequate.
Carnivorous diet supplies moisture, and can reabsorb water from feces before excreting.
Nasal gland removes excess salt from water produced in this process.
COMMENTS
Can run up to 18 mph (30 km/h).
Will attack, kill and eat small rattlesnakes, but it is not immune to their poison, so must hunt carefully.
The roadrunner’s comical gait, its erectile crest and perky tail movements combine to make this bird a humourous desert character whose antics entertain in film cartoons as well as in the wild.
a cute roadrunner in the arizona desert
What is a Greater Roadrunner
I am an outdoor enthusiast who would rather be on a backcountry backpacking trip than a stroll on the beach (although I do love the beach!).
Living in Las Vegas has afforded me the opportunity to easily explore the Southwest region of the United States.
A nature lover, I am often found at the end of the pack taking photos and videos of the wildlife found on the trails. Colorful flowers, desert animals, and unusual geological rock formations are often the majority of my photos.
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