Greater roadrunner Geococcyx californianus

Identification Tips:

• Large, long-legged, long-tailed cuckoo
• Spends much of its time on the ground
• Long, thick, dark bill
• Bushy crest
• Dark head is extensively spotted
• Blue patch of bare skin includes eye and is red at its rear margin in males(??
• Pale foreneck and upper breast with dark stripes
• Dark back and upperwing has extensive pale edgings creating striped appearance
• White bases to primaries show as a crescent on wing in flight
• Pale belly
• Long, dark tail with white tips to outer tail feathers

Similar species:

None