Daily Postcard: A Greater Roadrunner is spotted perched on a fence Wednesday afternoon in North Community. The Greater Roadrunner’s feet have the cuckoo characteristic of two toes pointed forward and two toes pointed backward. Greater Roadrunners are easy to track since their footprints look exactly like an X. Star of folk legends and cartoons, the roadrunner is probably the best known and most distinctive bird in the state. It was adopted as the New Mexico state bird in 1949 under the name ‘Chaparral Bird’. In Mexico it is called ‘El Correcaminos’ (roadrunner) or ‘Paisano’ (countryman or fellow traveler). An early naturalist described their demeanor as half magpie, half chicken. Greater Roadrunners are beneficial in that they help balance insect and rodent populations. Since we are often captivated by their antics, they also help make New Mexico more enchanting. Source: NMG&F. Photo by Marc Bailey
Daily Postcard: Greater Roadrunner In North Community
Daily Postcard: A Greater Roadrunner is spotted perched on a fence Wednesday afternoon in North Community. The Greater Roadrunner’s feet have the cuckoo characteristic of two toes pointed forward and two toes pointed backward. Greater Roadrunners are easy to track since their footprints look exactly like an X. Star of folk legends and cartoons, the roadrunner is probably the best known and most distinctive bird in the state. It was adopted as the New Mexico state bird in 1949 under the name ‘Chaparral Bird’. In Mexico it is called ‘El Correcaminos’ (roadrunner) or ‘Paisano’ (countryman or fellow traveler). An early naturalist described their demeanor as half magpie, half chicken. Greater Roadrunners are beneficial in that they help balance insect and rodent populations. Since we are often captivated by their antics, they also help make New Mexico more enchanting. Source: NMG&F. Photo by Marc Bailey
