New Mexico adopted the roadrunner as its state bird on March 16, 1949. Roadrunners are ground-dwelling birds that run up to 15 miles per hour.
Description
Roadrunners are about 12-inches high and 24-inches long. They have mottled black-and-white feathers and a head crest resembling a mohawk hairstyle. Its tail is striped with white and its bill is long for the bird's size.
Habitat
The roadrunner prefers desert habitats, such as the Great Basin, Mojave Desert, the Chihuahuan Desert and the Sonoran Desert. It is also found in open, flat terrain covered with desert bushes and scrub.
Range
The roadrunner lives in the Southwestern United States, including New Mexico, Kansas, Colorado, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Arizona and Mexico.
Food
Roadrunners eat rattlesnakes, insects, other birds, lizards, scorpions and rodents. The roadrunner kills rattlesnakes by grabbing their tail and whipping the snake's head against rocks until it dies.
Mating/Reproduction
Roadrunners mate in the spring. Males entice and reward females with food in exchange for breeding. Females build nests in bushes, trees or a cactus. Over three days, the female lays up to 12 eggs and incubates them up to 20 days.
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