The iconic ground-dwelling cuckoo of the American Southwest and Texas Hill Country. Famous for sprinting up to 20 mph through prickly pear and mesquite thickets hunting snakes and lizards.
Field Identification: Long slender bill, raised shaggy crest, streaked brown and white body, long tail held angled up, and bare skin behind the eye that flashes vibrant blue and red when excited.
Texas & Hill Country Notes: Greater Roadrunners are one of the few predators capable of hunting and killing venomous Texas rattlesnakes, pinning them down before smashing them against rocks. During cold Hill Country winter mornings, they drop their wings to expose a black skin patch on their backs to absorb solar heat.
