Greater Roadrunner
Geococcyx californianus
The Greater Roadrunner is a long-legged bird in the cuckoo family. It is one of the two species in the roadrunner; the other is the Lesser Roadrunner.
The roadrunner is about 60 cm long and weighs about 300 gm, and is the largest North American cuckoo. The adult has a bushy crest and long thick dark bill. It has a long dark tail, a dark head and back, and is blue on the front of the neck and on the belly. Roadrunners have four toes on each foot; two face forward, and two face backward.
The name roadrunner comes from the bird's habit of racing down roads in front of moving vehicles and then darting to safety in the brush.
Californian Earth-cuckoo,Chaparral Cock,Ground Cuckoo,Snake Killer