the roadrunner (genus geococcyx), also known as a chaparral bird or chaparral cock , is a fast-running ground cuckoo that has a long tail and a crest .
it is found in the southwestern united states and mexico , usually in the desert .
some have been clocked at 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) .
the roadrunner generally ranges in size from 22 to 24 in (56 to 61 cm) from tail to beak .
the average weight is about 815 oz (230430 g) .
the roadrunner is a large , slender , black-brown and white-streaked ground bird with a distinctive head crest .
it has long legs , strong feet , and an oversized dark bill .
the tail is broad with white tips on the three outer tail feathers .
the bird has a bare patch of skin behind each eye; this patch is shaded blue anterior to red posterior .
the lesser roadrunner is slightly smaller , not as streaky , and has a smaller bill .
both the lesser roadrunner and the greater roadrunner leave behind very distinct "x" track marks appearing as if they are travelling in both directions .
roadrunners and other members of the cuckoo family have zygodactyl feet .
the roadrunner can run at speeds of up to 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) and generally prefer sprinting to flying , though it will fly to escape predators .
during flight , the short , rounded wings reveal a white crescent in the primary feathers .
roadrunners inhabit the deserts of the southwestern united states , mexico , and central america .
they live in arid lowland or mountainous shrubland , widely dispersed in dry open country with scattered brush .
they are non-migratory , staying in their breeding area year-round .
the greater roadrunner is not currently considered threatened in the us , but is habitat-limited .
the roadrunner is an opportunistic omnivore .
its diet normally consists of insects (such as grasshoppers , crickets , caterpillars , and beetles), small reptiles (such as lizards , collared lizards , and snakes , including rattlesnakes), rodents and small mammals , spiders (including tarantulas), scorpions , centipedes , snails , small birds (and nestlings), eggs , and fruits and seeds like those from prickly pear cactuses and sumacs .
the lesser roadrunner eats mainly insects .
the roadrunner forages on the ground and , when hunting , usually runs after prey from under cover .
it may leap to catch insects , and commonly batters certain prey against the ground .
because of its quickness , the roadrunner is one of the few animals that preys upon rattlesnakes; it is also the only real predator of tarantula hawk wasps .
the roadrunner usually lives alone or in pairs .
breeding pairs are monogamous and mate for life , and pairs may hold a territory all year .
during the courtship display , the male bows , alternately lifting and dropping his wings and spreading his tail .
he parades in front of the female with his head high and his tail and wings drooped , and may bring an offering of food .
the reproductive season is spring to mid-summer (depending on geographic location and species) .
the roadrunner's nest is often composed of sticks , and may sometimes contain leaves , feathers , snakeskins , or dung .
it is commonly placed 13 meters above ground level in a low tree , bush , or cactus .
roadrunner eggs are generally white .
the greater roadrunner generally lays 26 eggs per clutch , but the lesser roadrunner's clutches are typically smaller .
hatching is asynchronous .
both sexes incubate the nest (with males incubating the nest at night) and feed the hatchlings .
for the first one to two weeks after the young hatch , one parent remains at the nest .
the young leave the nest at two to three weeks old , foraging with parents for a few days after .
