Roadrunner Sunday Morning Visit
A roadrunner visit is pretty common in this neighborhood. After all, it is the State Bird of New Mexico.I see them daily up and down the street, even if not always in my back yard. This morning I was out enjoying all the avian visitors, when I saw this one. It was hanging out in the shadows, waiting for a tiny tasty morsel such as a goldfinch to drop by.
The camera click startled this one a bit (not a common reaction). It jumped down and ran away from me.
Roadrunners really do run, although they are capable of flying. Fastest running speed is often reported at 20 mph, but some have been clocked as fast as 26 mph.
This one decided to show us some running form.
The ubiquitous walls (block, adobe, rock, etc.) are like superhighways to the roadrunners. This one came back as soon as I went in the house, strolled onto the patio, and grabbed a lizard hanging out under a rose bush.
If you are not squeamish, you might find these two YouTubes of encounters between roadrunners and rattlers interesting. Life in the desert…
Obviously looking for a bird snack. The videos show that while the roadrunner usually wins, not always.
Hi, Tim. Yes to all of that! I thought those videos were pretty memorable. Roadrunners are pretty impressive, and I usually like them, except when they eat baby birds. 🙁 They are very tough birds, for all their comic reputation. 🙂 ))))))
Magnificent birds.
Hi, Anita! They truly are, and so well adapted to the desert.
Nice to see you this morning. 🙂
Susan, Thanks for the pics and the videos. I didn’t realize that roadrunners would take on a full grown rattlesnake. Is it the females that have the orange patch behind their eyes?
Hi, Barbara. I thought both sexes had it, but that was another one I had to look up to be certain. Both sexes do have the orange patch, but depending on how they hold their feathers at any given point in time, it can be hidden. Another good question.
Thanks for dropping by today!
hello, came by via Lavinia at Salmon Brook. We don’t have Roadrunners in Canada, or at least not where I live. They do look just like their cartoon character though, how funny!
Hi, Boomdeeadda. Nice to meet another friend of Lavinia! Roadrunners are funny, unless you happen to be on the menu. They are very tough birds! Another friend here said she encountered one on the trail one day when she was out for a run, and felt like that bird was challenging her.
Again, thank you for dropping by and commenting.