Roadrunner

Roadrunner

[ Geococcyx californianus ]

Quick Facts

BODY LENGTH: 22 inches
WILD DIET: snakes, lizards, gophers, rats, mice, bird eggs, insects, and fruit
ZOO DIET: adult mice, baby mice, mealworms, crickets
DISTRIBUTION: southwest and western United States and throughout arid Mexico
HABITAT: desert scrub and dry open lands

 

Desert Speedster

Flying is for the birds
Roadrunners rarely fly. They have short, round wings that provide only limited lift and flying ability. Roadrunners are ground birds that can run up to 16 miles (25 kilometers) per hour, so they don’t need to fly. They run in open desert areas or among sparse vegetation, with their long tail trailing behind. And yes, roadrunners do run along roads. They got their name from early settlers moving west who would encounter the birds running down dusty roads in front of horse-drawn carriages.

Other names
Roadrunners are also called "snake killers," and "lizard birds," because lizards and snakes are a common prey item. They’re fairly big birds—almost 2 feet long (0.6 meters)—so they can eat surprisingly large prey. Gophers, rats, mice, lizards, snakes, and insects are the favored fare for roadrunners. At times they’ll eat fruit, which gives them some of the water they need to survive the desert. Roadrunners are well adapted to dry conditions, and don’t have to drink a lot of water.

Life in the desert
In addition to their frugal water needs, roadrunners have other adaptations that help them survive the harsh desert southwest. At night they can lower their body temperature to compensate for the cold desert air, which saves energy. In the morning they expose a patch of dark skin on their backs to warm up in the sun. Roadrunners are tough to see against the brownish desert background. Their brown speckled and off-white coloration blends in well with their habitat, which helps them avoid predators and hide from approaching prey.

Lifetime companions
Male and female roadrunners mate for life. They build their nests about 3 to 15 feet off the ground (1 to 4.5 meters) in trees, thickets, and cacti. They line the nest with dry snakeskin, leaves, grasses, feathers, roots, and dried manure. Males and females both incubate the 3 to 5 eggs the female lays, but only the male takes care of them at night. The eggs hatch after about 18 days. Both parents take care of the young for about 18 to 21 days, until the young roadrunners can catch their own food.

Roadrunners at Brookfield Zoo
If you have keen eyesight, you can see roadrunners at the desert exhibit of Feathers and Scales: Birds and Reptiles. Look closely, because they blend in quite well!

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