Geococcyx californianus

The roadrunner, scientifically known as Geococcyx californianus, is a terrestrial cuckoo species found in the deserts of Mexico and the southwestern United States. This bird is characterized by its olive-brown and white streaked plumage, a short crest, and distinctive bluish legs. Roadrunners are known for their speed on the ground, preferring to run rather than fly, which they do clumsily. Their diet consists of insects, lizards, and snakes, which they kill by pounding them with their bills before swallowing them whole. They typically lay 3 to 5 white eggs in a nest built low in a cactus or small tree. A closely related, slightly smaller species, G. velox, inhabits Mexico and Central America.12