Natives of Mexico and the Desert Southwest, greater roadrunners have spread eastward and northward over the past Century and now reside in California's Central Valley, across the Southern Plains, in western portions of Louisiana and Arkansas and in the glade country of southwest Missouri. Unlike their North American cousins, the yellow-billed and black-billed cuckoos, which feed primarily on caterpillars and migrate south for the colder months, roadrunners are omniverous and occupy their range throughout the year.
Easily identified by their classic silhouette, shaggy crest, streaked plumage and long tail, these birds have relatively small wings and rarely take flight; rather, equipped with long, powerful legs, they outrun their prey and predators. Food sources include berries, seeds, insects, scorpions, lizards, snakes and small mammals; renowned for their willingness to attack rattlesnakes, roadrunners often cooperate to make a kill. Nests, consisting of sticks and dry grass, are placed in low shrubs or cacti and 3-5 eggs are usually produced.
Well known to generations of children as the nemesis of Wile E. Coyote, this ground cuckoo may fall victim to hawks, golden eagles, owls and, yes, coyotes; human vehicles also take a significant toll. Nevertheless, the North American population of greater roadrunners is on rise and this resourceful bird will likely spread further north in the coming decades.
