NL·0396Herbarium of the Nature Library
- Name
- Geococcyx californianus
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Native to
- South-western and south-central US (expanding into Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana) and northern and central Mexico
- Habitat
- Desert scrub, Chaparral, Grassland, Open woodland
On eBird ↗
Greater Roadrunner
Live sightings near you, the range map, bar charts of when it is seen, and Macaulay Library photos and recordings.
Greater roadrunner
Geococcyx californianus
Also calledCorrecaminos norteño (Spanish) · Paisano (Spanish, Mexico) · Churea (Spanish, Mexico)
A ground-dwelling cuckoo of the deserts and scrub of the south-western US and Mexico that runs down lizards, snakes and scorpions. It can sprint at about 30 km/h and kills rattlesnakes by beating them against rocks.
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. Wikipedia
What it can do
- iRuns at around 30 km/h, steering with its long tail
- iiEats venomous prey including rattlesnakes and scorpions
- iiiSunbathes with back feathers raised to expose black skin, warming up after cold nights
- ivExcretes excess salt through a gland near the eye, conserving water
In the field
Field marks
- aLong, white-tipped tail often cocked up
- bShaggy dark crest and streaky brown-and-white plumage
- cLong, heavy bill; bare blue and orange skin behind the eye
- dLong legs with X-shaped zygodactyl footprints (two toes forward, two back)
- Voice
- A series of slow, descending, dove-like coos 'coo-coo-coo-oo'; also loud bill-clattering.
- Not to be confused with
- Lesser Roadrunner (Mexico and Central America) is smaller with a less streaked throat. Ring-necked Pheasant has a short bill and lacks streaks.
- Where to see it
- Desert parks of Arizona, New Mexico and west Texas — e.g. Big Bend National Park, Sonoran Desert around Tucson, Bosque del Apache.
- When
- Resident year-round
Listen
Looking for field recordings…
Life & habits
- Diet
- Lizards, snakes, insects, scorpions, rodents, small birds; some fruit
- Habitat
- Arid scrub, desert, chaparral, open grassland with cover
- Size
- 52–62 cm; 220–540 g
- Lifespan
- Up to about 7–8 years
Courting males present food, such as a lizard, to the female before mating.
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
—
geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
Native range
South-western and south-central US (expanding into Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana) and northern and central Mexico
Drag the globe to turn it. Dots are where records exist, not a range map; darker means more records.
In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Geococcyx californianus in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
Marginalia
Pueblo peoples used its X-shaped footprints as a protective symbol, since the tracks do not show which way the bird went; it is New Mexico's state bird.
Curiosity
Real roadrunners top out around 30 km/h — fast for a bird on foot, but slower than a coyote.
Kinship
- kingdomAnimalia
- ›phylumChordata
- ›subphylumVertebrata
- ›classAves
- ›orderCuculiformes
- ›familyCuculidae
- ›subfamilyNeomorphinae
- ›genusGeococcyx
Neighbours on the shelf
Photographs: iNaturalist contributors under the licences shown. Records: GBIF.org. Historical plates: Source Library (CC BY-SA 4.0; originals public domain). Summary text: Nature Library editors and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Medicinal and edibility notes are historical and educational, not advice. iNaturalist taxon 1986.