Greater Roadrunner "He's the dude…"

[c.j.]

"He's the dude, so that's what you call him, duder or el duderino if you're not into the whole brevity thing". Dude and Limper, (his significant other - roadrunners mate for life) have raised quite a few broods, here, over the years. Every time they go through the courtship rituals, he knows he has at least a few days of 'house hunting' to go through. She is quite picky about nesting spots and will check out several before she decides on 'just the right one.

This is the dude. He's been coming here for six years. Dude is a Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus. Their diet consists of anything they can kill and eat. I've seen them eat all the standard fare, (lizards, quail babies, doves, ants, spiders, moths…you get the idea). The best was watching Limper sit in a tree next to a birdfeeder, wait for the cotton rat to come out of the aloe to feed and WHAM, she was on him. She beat him against a rock until 'tender', then consumed him.


Photos:
1 - The Dude, dashing across the cold yard in the morning.
2 - He likes to sit on our porch rocking chair and spread out his feathers to expose his 'radiator'. Roadrunners do this to kind of jump start body temperature and metabolism.
3 - He then moved over by me, hung out a bit, did a little preening while waiting for breakfast
4 - When sufficiently warm, time for some burger…

[c.j.]

Pictures:

5 - Need a little water with your meal, so down to the pond for a drink.
6 - Then he was content to just hang out for a bit.

Canon Rebel XT, Canon 75-300mm IS lens

[paulnj]

Great as usual.

[Speed]

Great shots!

I haven't seen a roadrunner since I was in Arizona (1985-1986).

Cool birds, and they are fast!

[Lava Lamp]

Thanks for sharing. As an east coaster, I've never seen one in real life, though having been to AZ half-a-dozen times, you'd think I might have.