Beep, beep (?)
(click on photo to enlarge)
No, roadrunners don’t actually make that sound at all. In fact I’ve never heard one vocalize while on the move. Our daily visitor (he or she — can’t tell them apart by plumage) is quite bold, exploring the yard for tidbits or just preening and sunbathing on the wall. I noticed it eating the large green caterpillars of the Rustic Sphinx Moths (Manduca rustica) that were quite common here during the summer. If there are any lizards or snakes around (and there are, but that will be another topic) they would be a top menu item for this carnivore. I’m suprised the smaller birds don’t scatter when it’s around. They’re also candidates for the dinner plate. An interesting fact about the male of this species (a member of the Cuckoo family) is that he does most of the incubation of the eggs. Now if he could only cook…………
Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)
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