Rara avis

[cstocks]

Yesterday while driving from south Arkansas back to southeast Texas I saw something I have not seen in probably thirty or more years. We were traveling between Homer and Minden La. and as we rounded a curve in the road there stood what looked like a roadrunner right on the edge of the road. My wife and I saw it at the same instant and we both pointed and exclaimed "Look! look! A roadrunner!" at the same time. It ran across the road in front of us and as it got to the far edge it spread its wings and glided across the ditch. It was tall and leggy with the little crest on its head just like the t.v. cartoon character. It had such distinct features that there was no mistaking what it was.

My wife was surprised to see one this far east. Seems that she believed roadrunners only live in the desert southwest. I did not know so I did an internet search on roadrunners. According to www.desertusa.com roadrunners are only found in the U.S. in the desert southwest.

Who among you has ever seen a roadrunner? Where did you see it? Did I or did I not see a roadrunner? If it was not a roadrunner what was it? I am curious to see if anyone else outside the desert southwest has ever seen one. How about you, soarkrebel? You hail from the same neck of the woods as me. Ever see one? This was the third sighting of whatever bird this was for me in my lifetime and all three times have been in the south Arkansas/north Louisiana area. Looked like a roadrunner to me!

 

[karmakanic]

Hi Chris,

Our place is in NE texas, about 100 miles E of Dallas, and we see them quite often. In fact, there is one who had taken up pernament residence just down the road. I've seen him, or his offspring, every year for the past 10 or so.

 

[patrickg]

When I was in High School at Lindsay, OK for a while we lived on 40 acres north of town and road runners were quite common. I have seen then extensively in the more arid regions of the southwest but still see them in South Central Oklahoma where we have an average rainfall of 33-34 inches as opposed to say 13 in San Diego or 3 near San Felipe in Baja California del Norte where they are also common.

Having looked them up you are probably aware of their diet which includes snakes, lizards, and insects. Here is one for you: My mom lived for several years in Bullhead City Arizona across the Colorado from Nevada. She used to fish from the bank of the Colorado river, mostly south/downstream of the Parker dam and waded into the water to cool off on really hot (over 100 degree) days. Once while fishing a Road Runner was circling her about a hundred feet away and slowly, ever so slowly got closer and closer. My mom's favorite snack is Fritos. To cut to the chase... She ended up feeding the Road Runner Fritos out of her hand. My wife has lured gulls to perch on her arm and eat chips out of her hand but gulls are the very (their picture is next to the term in the dictionary) epitome of omnivorous. I haven't any explanation for a Road Runner eating Fritos out of a persons hand. I have pictures of the gulls but no camera on site to record the Road Runner.

Of course my not understanding it doesn't account for much, I'm no ornithologist. BUT I have a picture of a Redwing Blackbird standing on a Goldfinch on the snow pecking it to death. (It then carried it away in its feet). I can't find any published reference to that sort of thing either.


Patrick

 

[Bird]

Chris, I've wondered whether the roadrunners run in cycles because in the 8 years I've lived here, I might see one two or three times a year until this year. But this year, they're quite common around here. I even have one that's come into the yard while I was out there mowing a couple of times. I don't see them every day, but I'd be surprised if I couldn't drive around the area any day and find one within 15 or 20 minutes.

So I don't know how far east they go, but one book I have shows their range to include just about all of Texas and just a little farther east in the summer, so I have no doubt you really did see one.

 

[Egon]

That Wylie fellar must be on vaction this year so the Roadrunners have more free time and don't have to hide all the time!!!!

Egon

 

[Worksmart]

cstocks - Is this what it looked like/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif?? This is a 'runner I caught. It moves pretty fast but I try to avoid gliding across ditches. My 'runner also has some distinct features but some people still mistaken it for a GTX/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.

The one thing my 'runner and the one you saw have in common.........................beep...beep!! Chuck

 

[Anonymous Poster]

We've got quite a few of them running around our place in South Central Texas. My Australian Cattle Dog wants to herd them, which can be interesting...

 

[cstocks]

Chuck! That's it! That's it!

No gliding across ditches, huh? I don't know about that. Wait, the color is not right either. Hmmm, somehow it looks different than the one I saw. Must be one of them Michigan varieties! Don't see too many of those down my way anymore!/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[cstocks]

I did a little more research and discovered that roadrunners do live in Arkansas. That, along with the info you folks gave me convinces me that I did indeed see a roadrunner. If they live in Ark., central Okla. and northeast TX then it stands to reason they also live in north Louisiana.

During my research I also found out the roadrunner belongs to the cuckoo family. Learn something every day!

Thanks for the replies!

 

[tcreeley]

Of course my not understanding it doesn't account for much, I'm no ornithologist. BUT I have a picture of a Redwing Blackbird standing on a Goldfinch on the snow pecking it to death. (It then carried it away in its feet). I can't find any published reference to that sort of thing either.


Patrick

I'd love to see that picture if you want to post it of the redwing and goldfinch.
I saw a bluejay pecking down at a mouse with its bill. then grab it in its bill and fly up 2 feet before it fell out of its bill to the ground. The bluejay went back for it and grabbed it again and flew off with it.

 

[mustangnut98]

saw one in sw mo this summer been told they are common

 

[tom01]

Probably won't be posting any pics considering the thread is 10 years old.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I'd love to see that picture if you want to post it of the redwing and goldfinch.
I saw a bluejay pecking down at a mouse with its bill. then grab it in its bill and fly up 2 feet before it fell out of its bill to the ground. The bluejay went back for it and grabbed it again and flew off with it.

We see them in our backyard occasionally; we live in central Oklahoma.