?Greater Roadrunner Conservation status: Least concern
Greater Roadrunner in West Texas
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae Genus: Geococcyx Species: G. californianus
Binomial name
Geococcyx californianus (Lesson, 1829)

The Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) is a large, long-legged bird in the cuckoo family, Cuculidae. It is one of the two roadrunner species in the genus Geococcyx. The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1920x1200, 857 KB) A Great Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) in the Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway along the Caprock in West Texas (USA) Date captured: 1 November, 2006 This photograph is the work of drumguy8800 gallery | contributions | xvisionx. ... The dry plains of West Texas, have often been divided up into tracks of land divided by barbed wire fences. ... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 268,581 sq mi (695,622 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera (sponges) Subregnum Agnotozoa Placozoa (trichoplax) Orthonectida (orthonectids) Rhombozoa (dicyemids) Subregnum Eumetazoa Radiata (unranked) (radial symmetry) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anemones) Bilateria (unranked) (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Myxozoa (slime animals) Superphylum Deuterostomia (blastopore becomes anus) Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... {{{subdivision_ranks}}} See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... Orders Many - see section below. ... Families Musophagidae Cuculidae Opisthocomidae The near passerine bird order Cuculiformes traditionally included three families as below: Order Cuculiformes Family Musophagidae: turacos and allies Family Cuculidae: cuckoos Family Opisthocomidae: Hoatzin However, the taxonomy of this group is now controversial. ... Genera See text. ... Species The roadrunners are two species of bird in the genus Geococcyx of the cuckoo family, Cuculidae, native to North and Central America. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... René Primevère Lesson (March 20, 1794 - April 28, 1849) was a French surgeon and naturalist. ... Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1829 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Orders Many - see section below. ... Genera See text. ... Species The roadrunners are two species of bird in the genus Geococcyx of the cuckoo family, Cuculidae, native to North and Central America. ...

Physical features

Adults have a bushy crest and long thick dark bills. They have a long dark tail, a dark head and back, and are pale on the front of the neck and on the belly. Although capable of flight, they spend most of their time on the ground. They can run at speeds of 15 miles per hour or more. They nest on a platform of sticks in cactus or bushes, where they love to hide. This article is about the plant family. ...

Behavior

These birds walk rapidly about, running down prey or occasionally jumping up to catch insects or birds. They mainly eat insects, small reptiles, rodents, tarantulas, scorpions and small birds. Orders Many - see section below. ... Classes & Orders See taxonomy Insects are invertebrate animals of the Class Insecta, the largest and (on land) most widely-distributed taxon within the phylum Arthropoda. ... Orders Procolophonia (extinct) Testudines Araeoscelidia (extinct) Avicephala (extinct) Younginiformes (extinct) Sauropterygia Ichthyosauria (extinct) Placodontia (extinct) Nothosauria (extinct) Plesiosauria (extinct) Sphenodontia Squamata Prolacertiformes (extinct) Archosauria Crurotarsi Order Aetosauria Order Phytosauria Order Rauisuchia Order Crocodilia Ornithodira Pterosauria (extinct) Marasuchus (extinct) Dinosauria (extinct) Order Saurischia Order Ornithischia Reptiles are tetrapods and amniotes, animals... Suborders Sciuromorpha Castorimorpha Myomorpha Anomaluromorpha Hystricomorpha Rodentia is an order of mammals (Mammalia). ... Diversity 113 genera, 897 species Genera Subfamily Acanthopelminae    Acanthopelma Subfamily Aviculariinae    Avicularia    Ephobopus    Pachistopelma    Tapinauchenius Subfamily Eumenophorinae    Anoploscelus    Batesiella    Citharischius    Encyocrates    Eumenophorus    Hysterocrates    Loxomphalia    Loxoptygus    Monocentropus    Myostola    Phoneyusa    Polyspina Subfamily Harpactirinae    Ceratogyrus    Coelogenium    Eucratoscelus    Harpactira    Pterinochilus Subfamily Ischnocolinae    Chaetopelma    Cratorrhagus    Heterothele    Ischnocolus    Nesiergus    Plesiophrictus/Neoplesiophrictus Subfamily Ornithoctoninae    Citharognathus    Cyriopagopus    Haplopelma... Superfamilies Pseudochactoidea Buthoidea Chaeriloidea Chactoidea Iuroidea Scorpionoidea See classification for families. ...

Several years ago, the Philadelphia Zoo had one of these in captivity. It spent much of its waking moments attempting to "race" or run with passers-by.

Habitat

Their breeding habitat is desert and shrubby country in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. They can be seen in the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, and rarely in Arkansas and Louisiana. The Roadrunner is the state bird of New Mexico. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Official language(s) English Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area  Ranked 6th  - Total 113,998 sq mi (295,254 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 0. ... Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area  Ranked 5th  - Total 121,665 sq mi (315,194 km²)  - Width 342 miles (550 km)  - Length 370 miles (595 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 268,581 sq mi (695,622 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Official language(s) English Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Area  Ranked 13th  - Total 84,876 sq mi (219,887 km²)  - Width 270 miles (435 km)  - Length 350 miles (565 km)  - % water 3. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Area  Ranked 8th  - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 km²)  - Width 280 miles (451 km)  - Length 380 miles (612 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area  Ranked 20th  - Total 69,960 sq mi (181,196 km²)  - Width 230 miles (370 km)  - Length 298 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Area  Ranked 29th  - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,732 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 261 miles (420 km)  - % water 2. ... This Article does not cite its references or sources. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

Cultural references

This bird was the model for the Warner Bros. Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoons. However, unlike the cartoon, the song of this bird is a dove-like coo, not beep-beep. Warner Bros. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The University of Texas at San Antonio mascot is a roadrunner, named Rowdy. UTSA is San Antonios largest university. ... Rowdy the Roadrunner is the endeared mascot of the University of Texas at San Antonio. ...

Image gallery

Roadrunner with lizard Greater Roadrunner, public domain US army, try 1 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
Greater Roadrunner at the Henry Doorly Zoo Image File history File linksMetadata Greater_Roadrunner_Arizona. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Greater_Roadrunner_Arizona_2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3456x2304, 4030 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1500x1051, 340 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Greater Roadrunner Henry Doorly Zoo User:Cburnett ... The Henry Doorly Zoo is a zoo in Omaha, Nebraska. ...	Roadrunner in Lake Havasu City, AZ Image File history File linksMetadata Roadrunneraz. ...

References

• BirdLife International (2004). Geococcyx californianus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 10 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
• Geococcyx californianus (TSN 177836). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 9 February 2006.

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species. ... The World Conservation Union or International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) is a partnership designed to provide consistent and reliable information on the taxonomy of biological species. ... February 9 is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Greater_Roadrunner_dtl.html
• http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Geococcyx_californianus.html