Greater Roadrunner

More Bird Resources Types of Birds

The Cuckoos (Cuculidae) are a diverse family of birds, with species found on ever continent except Antarctica.

The practice of brood parasitism among Cuculidae species has made them the object of ornithological attention for thousands of years.

In Book 9 (Chapter XX) of the History of Animals, Aristotle notes:

"The cuckoo, as it has been already observed, makes no nest, but lays its eggs in the nests of other birds, especially in that of the phaps, and in those of the sparrow and lark on the ground, and in the nest of the chloris in trees."

Most species are arboreal. Some, such as the Greater Roadrunner, are terrestrial (Geococcyx californianus).

The Greater roadrunner is one of five Cuculidae species native to the United States. While most people associate it with the scrub lands of the Southwest, it's range extends to the open grasslands and deserts of California, east to Louisiana.

They are omnivores, eating fruits, seeds, insects, rodents and reptiles in their territory.

The Roadrunner is the official state bird of New Mexico.

© 2009 Patricia A. Michaels