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Geococcyx californianus

(Lesson, 1829)

Greater Roadrunner

G5Secure Found in 108 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.104687
Element CodeABNRB09020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderCuculiformes
FamilyCuculidae
GenusGeococcyx
Other Common Names
Correcaminos Norteño (ES) Grand Géocoucou (FR) greater roadrunner (EN)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Conservation Status
Review Date1996-11-27
Change Date1996-11-27
Range Extent Comments
RESIDENT: from northern California, western and central Nevada, southern Utah, Colorado, southern Kansas, central and eastern Oklahoma, southwestern Missouri, western Arizona, and north-central Louisiana south to southern Baja California and the central mainland of Mexico to the Gulf coast of Texas (AOU 1983).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

ALL SEASONS: Desert scrub, chaparral, edges of cultivated lands, and arid open situations with scattered brush, locally in cedar glades and pine-oak woodland (Tropical and Subtropical zones) (AOU 1983). BREEDING: Usually nests low (3-15 ft from ground) in tree, shrub or clump of cactus. Rarely nests on ground. The nest is made of sticks lined with leaves grasses, feathers, snakeskin, dry pieces of livestock manure, etc.

Ecology

Pairs are year-round residents in their territory. Average diameter of territories in California (Bryant 1916), Arizona (Calder 1967), and west Texas (Hughes 1996) was 800 meters. Territories up to 1 km wide along longest dimension in southern Texas (Folse 1974).

Reproduction

Clutch size typically 3-5, sometimes 2-6. Incubation 17-18 days. Both parents tend young. Young fledge 17-19 days after hatching. Pair bond apparently permanent.
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralSavannaGrassland/herbaceousOld fieldDesertCropland/hedgerow
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
NevadaS4Yes
ArizonaS5Yes
KansasS3Yes
Navajo NationS2Yes
UtahS2Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
TexasS4BYes
ColoradoS4Yes
ArkansasS4Yes
New MexicoS5B,S5NYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
MissouriS3Yes
LouisianaS3Yes
Roadless Areas (108)
Arizona (28)
AreaForestAcres
Black CanyonPrescott National Forest10,683
Black CrossTonto National Forest5,966
BoulderTonto National Forest40,359
Butterfly Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest42,296
Catalina St. Pk. Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest951
ChiricahuaCoronado National Forest76,876
Coconino RimKaibab National Forest7,213
GaliuroCoronado National Forest28,333
GoldfieldTonto National Forest15,257
HackberryCoconino National Forest17,885
Happy ValleyCoronado National Forest7,972
Hell HoleApache-Sitgreaves National Forests15,512
Horse MesaTonto National Forest9,146
Lime CreekTonto National Forest42,568
Lower RinconCoronado National Forest3,278
Lower San FranciscoApache-Sitgreaves National Forests59,310
MazatzalTonto National Forest16,942
Middle Dragoon RoadlessCoronado National Forest10,543
Middle Romero WSRCoronado National Forest60
NolanApache-Sitgreaves National Forests6,780
Oracle RoadlessCoronado National Forest22,365
PinalenoCoronado National Forest130,920
Pine Mountain Wilderness ContiguousTonto National Forest6,518
PipestemApache-Sitgreaves National Forests34,598
Sierra Ancha Wilderness ContiguousTonto National Forest7,787
TumacacoriCoronado National Forest44,594
Upper Romero WsrCoronado National Forest150
WhetstoneCoronado National Forest20,728
California (54)
AreaForestAcres
AntimonyLos Padres National Forest40,911
Bear MountainLos Padres National Forest913
Black CanyonInyo National Forest32,421
ButtermilkInyo National Forest542
Cactus Springs BSan Bernardino National Forest3,106
CajonSan Bernardino National Forest7,548
CamuesaLos Padres National Forest8,209
ChannellSequoia National Forest45,429
Circle MountainSan Bernardino National Forest6,375
ColdwaterCleveland National Forest8,402
Cucamonga BSan Bernardino National Forest11,933
CuyamaLos Padres National Forest19,631
De La GuerraLos Padres National Forest5,418
Deep CreekSan Bernardino National Forest23,869
Domeland Add.Sequoia National Forest3,046
Eagle PeakCleveland National Forest6,481
Excelsior (CA)Inyo National Forest45,607
Fish CanyonAngeles National Forest29,886
Fox MountainLos Padres National Forest52,072
Glass MountainInyo National Forest52,867
Greenhorn CreekSequoia National Forest28,226
HortonInyo National Forest5,717
IshiLassen National Forest21,805
JuncalLos Padres National Forest12,289
Lpoor CanyonLos Padres National Forest13,762
Magic MountainAngeles National Forest15,542
Malduce BuckhornLos Padres National Forest14,177
MatilijaLos Padres National Forest5,218
Mill CreekSequoia National Forest27,643
Nevahbe RidgeInyo National Forest302
NordhoffLos Padres National Forest12,031
PaiuteInyo National Forest58,712
Pine CreekCleveland National Forest503
Pleasant ViewAngeles National Forest26,395
Pyramid Peak BSan Bernardino National Forest7,194
QuatalLos Padres National Forest7,253
Red MountainAngeles National Forest8,034
Rock Creek WestInyo National Forest3,626
San SevaineSan Bernardino National Forest6,866
Santa CruzLos Padres National Forest21,182
Sawmill - BadlandsLos Padres National Forest51,362
ScodiesSequoia National Forest725
Sespe - FrazierLos Padres National Forest106,910
Sespe - FrazierAngeles National Forest4,254
Soldier CanyonInyo National Forest40,589
South SierraInyo National Forest41,853
TequepisLos Padres National Forest9,080
TinemahaInyo National Forest27,060
TrabucoCleveland National Forest23,341
Wheeler RidgeInyo National Forest15,744
Whisky CreekInyo National Forest865
White LedgeLos Padres National Forest18,632
Wonoga Pk.Inyo National Forest11,272
WoolstaffSequoia National Forest41,445
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekCaribou-Targhee National Forest118,582
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
Charleston - Macks CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,378
New Mexico (17)
AreaForestAcres
Arroyo de los FrijolesSanta Fe National Forest5,277
Candian RiverCibola National Forest7,149
Contiguous To Black & Aldo Leopold WildernessGila National Forest111,883
Contiguous To Gila Wilderness & Primitive AreaGila National Forest79,049
Devils CreekGila National Forest89,916
Gila BoxGila National Forest23,759
Hell HoleGila National Forest19,553
Little Dog And Pup CanyonsLincoln National Forest25,412
Ortega PeakLincoln National Forest11,545
Peloncillo (NM)Coronado National Forest43,339
Ryan HillCibola National Forest34,201
Sawyers PeakGila National Forest59,743
South Guadalupe MountainsLincoln National Forest20,930
Stone CanyonGila National Forest6,801
Virgin CanyonSanta Fe National Forest6,068
Wahoo MountainGila National Forest23,122
West Face Sacramento MountainsLincoln National Forest41,176
Oklahoma (1)
AreaForestAcres
Beech CreekOuachita National Forest8,303
South Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekBuffalo Gap National Grassland24,666
Texas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Big CreekNational Forests in Texas1,447
Utah (4)
AreaForestAcres
418025Uinta National Forest32,698
Boulger - Black CanyonManti-Lasal National Forest23,286
CottonwoodDixie National Forest6,754
Pine Valley MountainsDixie National Forest57,673
References (11)
  1. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1983. Check-list of North American Birds, 6th edition. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. 877 pp.
  2. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in <i>The Auk</i>]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
  3. BirdLife International. 2004b. Threatened birds of the world 2004. CD ROM. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK.
  4. Bryant, H. C. 1916. Habits and food of the Roadrunner in California. University of California Publications in Zoology 17:21-58.
  5. Bureau of Land Management. Life History Summaries.
  6. Calder, W. A. 1967. The diurnal activity of the Roadrunner, GEOCOCCYX CALIFORNIANUS. Condor 70:84-85.
  7. Folse, L. J., Jr. 1974. Population ecology of Roadrunners (GEOCOCCYX CALIFORNIANUS) in south Texas. M.Sc. thesis, Texas A&M University, College Station.
  8. Hughes, J. M. 1996. Greater Roadrunner (GEOCOCCYX CALIFORNIANUS). No. 244 IN A. Poole and F. Gill, editors. The birds of North America. The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The Amerian Ornithologists' Union, Washington, DC. 24pp.
  9. Parker III, T. A., D. F. Stotz, and J. W. Fitzpatrick. 1996. Ecological and distributional databases for neotropical birds. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
  10. Poole, A. F. and F. B. Gill. 1992. The birds of North America. The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. and The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA.
  11. Terres, J. K. 1980. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.