by Denise Paduano

Created on: September 05, 2009

The Roadrunner or Ground Cuckoo is a bird that lives in the thorny scrubs, sparse grasslands and the deserts of Mexico and the Southwestern United States. They are a ground dwelling birds which rarely flies. The Roadrunner is non migratory, and roosts in dense trees or shrubs during the winter

The Roadrunner grows to be about twenty three inches long, half of which is tail feathers. Its tail is long and narrow which helps with its balance and lets it turn quickly when running.

The Roadrunner is a striking bird with buff colored underside and a mixture of black, bronze and buff feathers on the breast. The back and tail are black and white with blue, green and bronze iridescence. They have a bushy crest on top of their head that raises and lowers when their curiosity is aroused or they are threatened, They have long lean legs that are made for speed, allowing them to run at speeds of up to eighteen miles per hour. Their feet are zygodactyl which means two toes point forward and two toes point backward.

Diet consists of insects, lizards, scorpions, rodents, small birds, fruit and seeds. They beat their captured prey against a rock or other hard object to crush the bones so it may be swallowed whole. They are able to capture and eat snakes up to two feet in length. They are one of the few animals known to attack rattlesnakes. Pairs sometimes hunt rattlesnakes cooperatively. One bird will distract the snake while the other sneaks up and pins it's head. They will then kill the snake by bashing its head against a rock.

Males court females by offering a gift of an insect, reptile or some other enticing food. If the female is not impressed with the offering she may refuse to mate with him. After successful mating the female lays two to four eggs over the course of several days in a flat stick nest lined with grass, leaves or feathers. The nest is usually made in a shrub or cactus. Incubation period is eighteen days for each egg. Both male and female take part in caring for the eggs and raising the young. Juvenile Roadrunners are ready to leave the nest anywhere from fourteen to twenty one days after hatching.

Roadrunners make a clattering sound by rolling their mandibles together. During courtship they made a cooing sound.

Due to their willingness to attack rattlesnake some Native American tribes believe the Roadrunner represents great magic, strength, endurance and courage.

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