Roadrunners
Imagine that you are walking in the desert and you see an x-shaped track. Do you know what animal makes an x-shaped track? It is a road runner. The road runner has two toes that point forward and two backward to make this unique track. The road runner can be up to 18-24 inches long with a tail almost as long as its body.
Road Runner-wikipedia
They have a long neck, and long beak to help them stretch and balance. Their legs are very strong and built for running. Their feathers are black with white streaks and some brown. Their coloration helps them blend in to the desert environment.
Road runners are omnivores. They mostly eat meat, but they will eat plants. They hunt snakes, other birds, small reptiles and amphibians and rodents. They are very fast, fast enough to eat rattlesnakes!
First the roadrunner grabs the rattlesnake by its tail. Before the rattlesnake can bite the roadrunner, the bird swings the rattlesnake around and pounds its head on the ground until it dies.
Roadrunners are well adapted to desert life. Their colors blend in. They hunt in the morning and evening. In the heat of the day, they find shade to cool off. They get most of the water they need from their food. They also reabsorb moisture from their waste. Salt builds up in a bird’s body when it digests food or sweats. Most birds get rid of salt through their liquid waste. The roadrunner would lose too much water this way. They have a special gland near their nose to get rid of salt.
The Road Runner is also a famous cartoon made in 1948 by animation director Chuck Jones.
road runner,wikipedia
My mom says she saw lots of roadrunners hunting near the road when we used to live in Texas. I hope I get to see a roadrunner someday.
