Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)
Despite popular depictions, there are no documented cases of a Greater Roadrunner being pursued by a coyote who is riding an ACME rocket, and their call is more of a coo than a “meep meep.” It’s true however that they are fast runners and wily hunters (see what we did there?) with documented cases of actually snatching hummingbirds right out of the air.
A member of the cuckoo family, the Greater Roadrunner’s shape is distinctive with long legs and neck, a heavy bill, an upright carriage when standing and almost parallel to the ground when running. They are mostly brown with a buff belly and bold streaks over their body. During mating, the skin behind their eyes is visible in bright blue and red. They populate the entire state of Texas year-round and will eat pretty much anything, from small mammals, reptiles, insects, carrion, and other birds. In the winter, they will also eat fruits, seeds, and plant material. They are able to eat venomous lizards and snakes with no problems.
The Greater Roadrunner figures into the Native American and Mexican belief systems – venerated for their courage, speed, strength, and endurance. Their x-shaped footprint is a sacred symbol to Pueblo tribes in warding off evil – since the shape of the footprint does not indicate the direction in which the bird is traveling, it’s believed to prevent evil spirits from following.
Unlike many other birds, the Greater Roadrunner is not a good flier, and they spend most of their time on the ground hunting. If threatened, they may fly a short distance, or they may glide between perches or between a perch and the nest. Both the male and female will often stand on fence posts and rocks to call over their territory.
Greater Roadrunners mate for life, and they keep things spicy with elaborate courtship displays and mating practices each spring. When mating, the male will perch on the female’s back, holding a food offering that both grasp. Afterwards, the male will circle the female, while cooing, flicking his tail, and bowing. They build their nests in shaded areas, often close to paths or a streambed, generally between 3 and 10 feet off the ground in trees, bushes, or even cacti. The male provides the twigs, and the female builds a mostly flat nest with a cup to house the eggs. The nests are sizable, up to 17 inches across and 8 inches high, lined with grass, feathers, and smaller sticks. They will sometimes reuse a nest over multiple years. The female will lay between 2 and 6 eggs and incubate them for 20 days before they hatch, and the young will leave the nest in another 20 days. The parents will continue to feed the young for up to 40 days longer.
If you are interested in attracting Greater Roadrunners to your yard, be aware that they tend to avoid heavily wooded and heavily populated areas. If you live in a suburban area that is more sparsely populated, simply having a bird feeder may attract them since they will hunt the birds that frequent your feeder. In my yard, we have a number of bushes near our feeder, so the birds can shelter in them. We regularly have Greater Roadrunners crouch below the bushes to stalk the birds. I’ve only seen one capture – of a house sparrow.
Compiled by Lisa S. Graham. Photo credit: Karen Hall/Audubon Photography Awards.
Sources include All About Birds (Cornell), Audubon Field Guide, and “National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America”.
