Greater Roadrunner

This lightning-fast ground cuckoo (Geococcyx californianus) is a master hunter. It is quick enough to catch a hummingbird or dragonfly in flight and is one of the few animals that can out-manoeuvre a rattlesnake. It dances around the rattler using its wing like a matador's cape then snatches the snake's tail, cracks the reptile like a whip and slams its head on the ground until it is dead. it swallows the snake whole and will go about with the tail protruding from its large beak, digesting its meal slowly over several hours. It also catches scorpions, lizards, rodents and other birds. The roadrunner can run at up to 30kph but takes short flights when it needs to escape danger or when travelling downhill.

Gallery