Greater Roadrunner Bird Skull

$61.00

The Greater Roadrunner, a member of the cuckoo family, is found throughout the Southwestern U.S. Although this species can fly, its better known as a runner, capable of reaching speeds over 15 mph. They have two toes that face forward and two backward facing, known as zygodactylism.

Description

Greater Roadrunner Bird Skull Replica measures 3.7 inches. Greater Roadrunner Bird Skull museum quality polyurethane cast. Made in the USA. 2-part skull (separate cranium and jaw). Our precise skull can be used as a teaching tool, museum skull exhibit, home décor skull, or office décor skull.

Greater Roadrunner Bird or Geococcyx californianus is a long-legged bird in the cuckoo family, Cuculidae, from the Aridoamerica region in the Southwestern United States and Mexico.

The Latin name means “Californian earth-cuckoo”. Along with the lesser roadrunner, it is one of two species in the roadrunner genus Geococcyx. This roadrunner is also known as the chaparral cock, ground cuckoo, and snake killer.

The Greater Roadrunner can maintain a speed of 30 km per hour over long distances. While running, it places its head and its tail parallel to the ground, and uses its tail as a rudder to help change its direction. It prefers to run in open areas, such as roads, packed trails and dry riverbeds.

The Greater Roadrunner Bird or Geococcyx californianus is about 20 to 24 in. long, has a 17 to 24 in. wingspan and weighs 7.8 to 19.0 oz. It stands around 9.8 to 11.8 in. tall and is the largest cuckoo of the Americas.

Roadrunners have four toes on each zygodactyl foot; two face forward, and two face backward. The toes are brown in color and have pale gold spots. The upper body is mostly brown with black streaks and sometimes pink spots.

The neck and upper breast are white or pale brown with dark brown streaks, and the belly is white. A crest of brown feathers sticks up on the head, and a bare patch of orange and blue skin lies behind each eye; the blue is replaced by white in adult males (except the blue adjacent to the eye), and the orange (to the rear) is often hidden by feathers.

Although capable of limited flight, Greater Roadrunner Bird or Geococcyx californianus spends most of its time on the ground, and can run at speeds up to 20 mph.

Cases where roadrunners have run as fast as 26 mph. have been reported. This is the fastest running speed clocked for a flying bird, but not nearly as fast as 40 mph. of the flightless and much larger ostrich.

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Additional information

Weight 3 lbs
Dimensions 3.7 in
Greater Roadrunner Bird Facts

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Cuculiformes
Family: Cuculidae
Genus: Geococcyx
Species: G. californianus
Binomial Name: Geococcyx californianus
Conservation status: Least Concern