Page 11 - Summer 2012 magazine-2

“Who is he calling cuckoo!”

by Robert Tuvell

Our roadrunner (Geococcyx Californianus) on the cover is getting some sage advice from his
famous cousin in the movies! My basic knowledge of the roadrunner was the problems that he

had with Wile E. Coyote in the Warner Brothers cartoons. This led me to ask the following
questions: Why was it that every time Wile ran off a cliff (several times per episode) he didn't

fall until he looked down? And why didn't Wile ever get hurt? Those were big falls and every
now and then a huge boulder landed on top of him! And did you notice all those Rube
Goldberg-like contraptions that he bought from Acme Supply never worked?

But returning to the main topic of the Geococcyz Californianus, after some serious research I found the roadrun-
ner to be a very interesting bird. He lives here in our desert and, as a matter of fact, almost everywhere in the

Southwest. The roadrunner's favorite spots to nest are on the ground, in a dried shrub or in a small tree. Perhaps
it's a reflection of the economy but sometimes mother roadrunner will lay her eggs (usually two to twelve) in

some other bird's nest. This seems to be pushing friendship a bit far. Only three or four hatchlings generally
survive because of harsh conditions. Those nasty hawks, skunks, certain kinds of snakes, coyotes and an occa-
sional house cat, can be vicious! A winter freeze doesn't help.

As you know, Las Vegas is famous for its buffets. The roadrunner's buffet consists of insects, frogs, rodents,
lizards and snakes. Yes, snakes...and rattlesnakes at that! If the snake is too large for a one-on-one conquest, the
roadrunner will seek help from a fellow roadrunner. The roadrunner grasps the snake by his tail and beats his head

against the ground until the snake is no mas! So, although the roadrunner is a member of the cuckoo bird family,
this is no dumb bird we're talking about!

In the winter when much of the roadrunner's prey is hiding to escape the cold, the roadrunner mixes a variety of
plants in his diet. And by the way, all those stories about the roadrunner's speed are not

Hollywood screen myths. The roadrunner has been clocked up to and over seventeen miles
per hour! The roadrunner can snatch a hummingbird right out of the air so it's no wonder
Wile can't catch him!

So the next time you see a roadrunner jogging along on top of a garden wall or running
across the road in front of you, slow down and smile while looking for the coyote that's
chasing him.

Thank you Google for helping me understand and admire the talents of this fascinating bird.
Now I know that there is more to the roadrunner than I learned in the movies!

Page 11