The roadrunner is a well-known bird in the southwestern United States, easily recognized by its long tail and ability to run extremely fast. Roadrunners are found in the deserts of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and California. Their speed and evasive maneuvers make them notorious for being able to escape predators and difficult to catch. Many people assume the roadrunner must be the state bird of one of the southwestern states it inhabits. But is the roadrunner actually the official state bird of New Mexico?
Quick Answer
No, the roadrunner is not the official state bird of New Mexico. The state bird of New Mexico since 1949 is the greater roadrunner, a larger subspecies of roadrunner also known as the chaparral bird or paisano. So while a type of roadrunner is the state bird, the common roadrunner itself does not have official state symbol status in New Mexico.
State Bird of New Mexico
In 1949, the New Mexico legislature designated the greater roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) as the official state bird of New Mexico. Also known as the chaparral bird or paisano, the greater roadrunner is a larger, paler subspecies of the common roadrunner found in the southwestern United States. It averages 24 inches in length compared to the common roadrunner at 20 inches. The greater roadrunner can be identified by its a scaled pattern on its back, while the common roadrunner has a plain brown back. The greater roadrunner also has a longer, more curved beak and shorter tail.
The greater roadrunner was chosen as a state symbol due to its strong connection to New Mexico. Roadrunners are year-round residents found throughout the desert landscapes of the state. Native American tribes such as the Pueblo considered the roadrunner to be a sacred bird and included it in traditional stories and dances. As a fast running bird that feeds on pests like snakes and rodents, roadrunners help maintain the local ecology. And its habit of darting across roads when startled has made it an iconic sight for drivers in New Mexico. The greater roadrunner was seen as embodying the state’s desert spirit.
Other State Symbols of New Mexico
In addition to the greater roadrunner as the state bird, New Mexico has designated several other official state symbols:
- State flower – Yucca flower
- State tree – Piñon pine
- State fish – Rio Grande cutthroat trout
- State gemstone – Turquoise
- State vegetables – Chile and frijoles (pinto beans)
- State fossil – Coelophysis dinosaur
- State cookie – Bizcochito
- State insect – Tarantula hawk wasp
Like the greater roadrunner, these state symbols reflect elements that are significant to New Mexico’s culture, history, and environment. Yucca flowers, piñon pines, and turquoise are common in the desert landscape. Chiles and frijoles are staple foods. Tarantula hawks help control the tarantula population. Coelophysis fossils are abundant in the state’s Triassic deposits. Bizcochitos are a traditional New Mexican cookie.
So while the common roadrunner itself is not the state bird, naming the greater roadrunner to represent New Mexico allows the state to officially recognize this iconic southwestern species.
The Common Roadrunner
While two roadrunner species are found in the United States, the common roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) is the most widespread and familiar to most people. Here are some key facts about the common roadrunner:
- Scientific name: Geococcyx californianus
- Average length: 18-24 inches
- Wingspan: 12-24 inches
- Weight: 8-24 oz
- Lifespan: up to 10 years in wild
- Habitat: desert scrub, chaparral, grassland, open woodland
- Diet: insects, lizards, snakes, rodents, seeds
- UNIQUE ABILITY: Can run up to 20 mph to chase prey
The key traits of roadrunners include their distinctive appearance, with brown-black plumage, long dark tail feathers, and a shaggy crest. They have strong legs suited for running down prey at high speeds. Roadrunners are omnivorous and use their large curved beaks to eat insects, small reptiles and mammals, bird eggs and hatchlings, and seeds. They are territorial and generally solitary.
Roadrunners range across the southwestern U.S. from California to Kansas, and south into Mexico. They thrive in arid, open habitats with sparse vegetation at lower elevations. While capable of short flights, they spend most of their time on the ground hunting and foraging. Their ability to run so fast inspired their name, as they appear to zip down roads and trails like miniature racers.
Roadrunner Facts and Symbolism
Beyond its speed on the ground, the roadrunner has several fascinating qualities and traits:
- It can kill and eat venomous creatures like rattlesnakes by pecking and beating them against the ground.
- It produces a deep-voiced cooing song of multiple hoots that descends in pitch.
- When threatened, it often erects a small crest of feathers on its head.
- Its feet have an unusual zygodactyl toe arrangement with two toes pointed forward and two backward to help grasp prey.
- It can thrive in harsh desert conditions and go long periods without drinking, getting moisture from its food.
- Nests are sometimes decorated with snake skins, feathers, or flower petals.
The roadrunner’s unique qualities and evasive speed have made it the subject of myth and symbolism across many southwestern Native American cultures. Tribes such as the Pueblo and Navajo incorporated the roadrunner into folk tales as a trickster or wise helper. Some believed roadrunners could bring good fortune and lead lost travelers home. The Hopi considered the roadrunner a symbol of fertility and sexuality.
In popular culture, the roadrunner is best known for the Looney Tunes cartoons featuring Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. These illustrated the roadrunner’s extreme speed advantage against predators and turned it into an iconic caricature. The image of the roadrunner also appears in company logos, commercial products, and as the mascot for sports teams.
Range and Population
The common roadrunner occupies desert, scrubland, chaparral, and open woodland habitats across the southwestern United States and Mexico. Its breeding range extends west to California, north to Kansas, and east to Louisiana. Parts of its range overlap with the greater roadrunner in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Roadrunners are non-migratory and spend their whole lives in their local ranges.
Roadrunner populations appear secure overall, though they face threats from habitat loss and fragmentation due to urban development. Their numbers also decline after severe winters or droughts that reduce their prey base. Exact roadrunner population estimates are lacking, but they are described as locally common within their geographic range when suitable habitat is present.
While still abundant, roadrunners have disappeared from some areas of the Southwest they formerly occupied. Ongoing conservation efforts focus on preserving patches of natural desert and chaparral habitat that provide the scattered cover, food sources, and nesting sites roadrunners need to thrive.
Conclusion
In summary, while the roadrunner is not the official state bird of New Mexico, the greater roadrunner subspecies does hold that title. The common roadrunner remains one of the signature symbols of the American Southwest. Its remarkable speed, evasive tactics, and adaptability to harsh desert conditions have made it both an iconic regional species and the stuff of myth and legend. The roadrunner’s continued presence across the southwestern landscape represents the spirit of a land and its resilient inhabitants.
