The iconic ground cuckoo of the American Southwest — long-legged, long-tailed, fast on foot. They're fierce predators of rattlesnakes, lizards, and large insects. The cartoon "meep-meep" is fiction; real roadrunners coo softly.

Also called: Chaparral Cock, Snake-killer, Paisano, Faisán

Native status: Native; southwestern US into Mexico

§ Quick facts

SizeBody 50–62 cm (20–24 in); wingspan 43–61 cm
Weight220–340 g (8–12 oz)
LifespanWild 7–9 years; oldest documented 13
OrderCuculiformes
FamilyCuculidae

§ Encyclopedia

The greater roadrunner is a long-legged bird in the cuckoo family, Cuculidae, from the Aridoamerica region in the Southwestern United States and Mexico. The scientific name means "Californian earth-cuckoo". Along with the lesser roadrunner, it is one of two species in the genus Geococcyx. This roadrunner is also known as the chaparral cock, ground cuckoo, and snake killer.

Source: Wikipedia — Greater roadrunner Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Long-legged, long-tailed cuckoo with mottled brown-and-white plumage, shaggy crest, and bare blue-and-red skin patch behind the eye. Distinctive X-shaped tracks (zygodactyl: two toes forward, two back).

Similar species. Lesser Roadrunner (Mexico/Central America; smaller). No other North American bird looks similar.

Voice. Soft descending dove-like cooing series; mandible clattering. Does NOT make "meep-meep" cartoon sound.

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Lizards, snakes (including rattlesnakes), scorpions, centipedes, large insects, small mammals, occasional small birds, eggs, fruit. Among the most carnivorous cuckoos.

Behavior. Largely terrestrial — runs to 32 km/h (20 mph). Pairs hunt cooperatively, with one bird distracting a snake while the other attacks. Roosts together at night, fluffing feathers and sunning a bare patch of skin behind the eyes to absorb heat after cold desert nights.

§ Range

Southwestern US and northern Mexico

§ Habitat

Deserts, scrub, open arid grasslands

§ Threats

Habitat fragmentation, vehicle strikes, pesticide-driven prey decline.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the greater roadrunner is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Maintain native desert habitat. Slow down on rural southwestern roads. Skip outdoor rodenticides.

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§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • Cornell Lab — All About Birds
  • Texas Parks and Wildlife
  • Audubon Southwest
  • IUCN Red List 2018