Road runner what type of bird

Nest site is in dense bush, low tree, or cactus, usually ' above ground, rarely on ground. Nest is platform of sticks, lined with grass, leaves, feathers, sometimes with snakeskin or pieces of cow manure. Learn more about these drawings. Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases.

The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk will affect other wildlife and people, too. The leading North American bird photography competition broadens winners with the first year of prizes for female birds and bird videos.

Latin: Ortalis vetula. Membership benefits include one year of Audubon magazine and the latest on birds and their habitats. Your support helps secure a future for birds at risk. Our email newsletter shares the latest programs and initiatives. The most famous bird in the southwest, featured in folklore and cartoons, known by its long tail and expressive crest.

The Roadrunner walks and runs on the ground, flying only when necessary. It can run 15 miles per hour, probably with much faster spurts when chasing a fast-running lizard or other prey. Its prowess as a rattlesnake fighter has been much exaggerated, but it does eat a remarkable variety of smaller creatures.

Photo gallery. Feeding Behavior Usually hunts by walking rapidly, looking for prey, then making very rapid dash forward to catch prey in its bill. Eggs , sometimes Young Fed by both parents; leave the nest after about days. Male Greater Roadrunners make a distinct co-coo-coo-coo-coooooo in a series of 3—8 downward slurring notes to attract or contact a mate and mark a territory. Beginning before sunrise, the cooing can be heard up to a quarter-mile away, and often elicits a response from a neighboring male.

What does Acme stand for? ACME is from the Greek for 'highest point'. In English, acme usually means the peak of perfection, a concept which easily transfers over to the fictitious name of a company in a film, book, or whatever. What does the E stand for in Wile E Coyote? The Coyote's name of Wile E. Why do Roadrunners run so fast? Roadrunners can run at speeds of up to 20 miles per hour and generally prefer sprinting to flying because their short wings are only able to keep their large body airborne for a few seconds at a time.

They will usually only fly to escape predators or when traveling down steep slopes. How long can a roadrunner run? Why do Roadrunners wag their tails? A male greater roadrunners put on displays to tempt a female to mate. Sometimes the male will dangle a food offering, such as a lizard or snake, from his beak to entice the female. Other times, the male will wag his tail while bowing and making a whirring or cooing sound, then he jumps into the air and onto his mate.

Do male and female Roadrunners look different? The greater roadrunner is not such a bird: Males and females look extremely similar. Both are roughly the same size, reaching about 23 inches from bill to tail, and both sport the same mottled brown and white plumage. Because of the cartoon character's all-blue plumage and its characteristic "Meep, Meep" sound, it's hard to believe there's a real bird out there with the same name.

The truth, however, is that the cartoon character was based on the real runner. The roadrunner or Geococcyx californianus family consists of two members: the lesser roadrunner and the greater roadrunner. Both are similar in appearance, except that the greater roadrunner is larger and has a longer bill. While the cartoon character is bluish in appearance, the real roadrunner is black with light brown and white stripes.

The roadrunner is truly a fast runner.