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Greater Roadrunner or Geococcyx californianus They are carnivorous and are great hunters, but it is not blood on the beak. Bright red berries! Beep Beep!<br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/164398/greater_roadrunner_or_geococcyx_californianus.html" title="Greater Roadrunner or Geococcyx californianus"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/5803/164398_thumb.JPG?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=NPWbQlvXUVCWDdwLQyghEEoBXQQ%3D" width="200" height="134" alt="Greater Roadrunner or Geococcyx californianus Greater Roadrunners eat poisonous prey, including venomous lizards and scorpions, with no ill effect, although they&rsquo;re careful to swallow horned lizards head-first with the horns pointed away from vital organs. Roadrunners can also kill and eat rattlesnakes, often in tandem with another roadrunner: as one distracts the snake by jumping and flapping, the other sneaks up and pins its head, then bashes the snake against a rock. If it&rsquo;s is too long to swallow all at once, a roadrunner will walk around with a length of snake still protruding from its bill, swallowing it a little at a time as the snake digests.<br /> Based on banding records, the oldest roadrunner was at least 7 years old.<br /> Roadrunners hold a special place in Native American and Mexican legends and belief systems. The birds were revered for their courage, strength, speed, and endurance. The roadrunner&rsquo;s distinctive X-shaped footprint&mdash;with two toes pointing forward and two backward&mdash;are used as sacred symbols by Pueblo tribes to ward off evil. The X shape disguises the direction the bird is heading, and is thought to prevent evil spirits from following.5N4A7688<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/164397/greater_roadrunner_or_geococcyx_californianus.html Fall,Geococcyx californianus,Geotagged,Greater Roadrunner,United States" /></a></figure> Fall,Geococcyx californianus,Geotagged,Greater Roadrunner,United States Click/tap to enlarge Promoted

Greater Roadrunner or Geococcyx californianus

They are carnivorous and are great hunters, but it is not blood on the beak. Bright red berries! Beep Beep!

Greater Roadrunner or Geococcyx californianus Greater Roadrunners eat poisonous prey, including venomous lizards and scorpions, with no ill effect, although they’re careful to swallow horned lizards head-first with the horns pointed away from vital organs. Roadrunners can also kill and eat rattlesnakes, often in tandem with another roadrunner: as one distracts the snake by jumping and flapping, the other sneaks up and pins its head, then bashes the snake against a rock. If it’s is too long to swallow all at once, a roadrunner will walk around with a length of snake still protruding from its bill, swallowing it a little at a time as the snake digests.<br /> Based on banding records, the oldest roadrunner was at least 7 years old.<br /> Roadrunners hold a special place in Native American and Mexican legends and belief systems. The birds were revered for their courage, strength, speed, and endurance. The roadrunner’s distinctive X-shaped footprint—with two toes pointing forward and two backward—are used as sacred symbols by Pueblo tribes to ward off evil. The X shape disguises the direction the bird is heading, and is thought to prevent evil spirits from following.5N4A7688<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/164397/greater_roadrunner_or_geococcyx_californianus.html Fall,Geococcyx californianus,Geotagged,Greater Roadrunner,United States

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The Greater Roadrunner

The Greater Roadrunner, taxonomically classified as "Geococcyx californianus", meaning "Californian Earth-cuckoo," is a long-legged bird in the cuckoo family, Cuculidae. Along with the Lesser Roadrunner, it is one of two species in the roadrunner genus "Geococcyx". This roadrunner is also known as the chaparral cock, ground cuckoo, and snake killer.

Info 14 2
Similar species: Cuckoos
Species identified by William Bodine
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By William Bodine

All rights reserved
Uploaded Nov 9, 2024. Captured Nov 5, 2024 11:14 in Snow Canyon Dr, Dammeron Valley, UT 84783, USA.
country flag of United States of America Explore United States of America 39,925 9,640 8
  • Canon EOS R5
  • f/8.0
  • 1/512s
  • ISO640
  • 300mm
Captured in the fall. More fall photos.