Greater Roadrunner Flashcards
What family of birds does the greater roadrunner belong to?
Cuckoos.
What are some alternate names for the greater roadrunner?
The chaparral cock, the snake killer, and the ground cuckoo.
How long are greater roadrunners?
Up to 2 feet.
what is the wingspan of the greater roadrunner?
2 feet.
What is the range and habitat of the greater roadrunner?
Desert and scrubland in the southwestern United States and Mexico.
Where do greater roadrunners make their nests?
Low in a cactus or brush.
How many eggs do greater roadrunners lay?
3 - 6
What is the incubation period of the greater roadrunner?
20 days.
How can a male greater roadrunner be told from a female?
Females have blue and orange behind the eye, males have blue and white behind the eye.
What do greater roadrunners eat?
Insects, reptiles, snakes, fruits, seeds, carrion, and eggs.
How do greater roadrunners kill prey?
They stab it with their beak and/or slam it against a rock.
How fast can roadrunners run?
20 mph
what is the fastest running flighted bird?
The greater roadrunner.
What did the native tribes of Mexico and the southwest think greater roadrunners did?
They believed they warded off evil spirits and brought babies like a stork.
What did European explorers believe roadrunners did?
They would lead lost people to trails.
