Roadrunners
The comical roadrunner prefers running to flying and has been clocked at
speeds of 15 miles per hour. They are approximately 22 inches in length
and their diet consists of insects, lizards, centipedes, mice and
snakes. Persecuted for presumed predation on quail, roadrunners were the
target of state and federal bounty programs in the early twentieth
century. The bounties ended when scientific studies showed that
roadrunners rarely eat quail and instead prey mostly on insects and
reptiles. Roadrunners are known by various names, including chaparral
cock, paisano, and snake-killer. Enshrined in the folklore of native
peoples, these terrestrial members of the cuckoo family are renowned for
their prowess as predators, and admired for their superb adaptation to
arid and semi-arid habitats. In the heat of the day, roadrunners reduce
their activity and rest in shade, losing heat by panting or by raising
wings and feathers to expose skin to cooling winds. To conserve water,
they can excrete salt from their nasal glands. In winter they take
shelter from the wind and cold by roosting in trees or among rocks at
night. They sunbathe in the mornings, exposing dark skin beneath the
back feathers.
» Weight: 8-24 oz.
» Length: 20-24 inches"
» Height: 10-12"
» Lifespan: 7 to 8 years
» Typical diet: insects, lizards, snakes
» The Roadrunner’s nasal gland eliminates excess salt, instead of using the urinary tract like most birds.
» Roadrunners prefer walking or running and attain speeds up to 17 mph. hour
» Roadrunners are quick enough to catch and eat rattlesnakes.
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