03/29/2015
Greater Roadrunner Family
We visited the Desert Botanical Garden this morning and were lucky enough be there to see two Greater Roadrunner fledglings. Below are a sequence of photos of what we believe was the first trip for one of the fledglings out of the cactus they have called home since their birth.
The nest is getting a little too small for two.
Getting ready to serve up a little lizard for the family.
The fledgling exploring outside the nest.
One of the parents waiting for a fledgling to leave the nest.
Out of the nest for the first time and already has an attitude.
The new sheriff in now in town.
The Greater Roadrunner is a long-legged bird in the cuckoo family. It can outrace a human, kill a rattlesnake, and thrive in the harsh landscapes of the Desert Southwest. The Greater Roadrunner is also known as the chaparral cock, ground cuckoo, and snake killer. The Roadrunner nests on a platform of sticks low in a cactus or a bush and lays 3–6 eggs, which hatch in 20 days. The chicks fledge in another 18 days. Pairs may occasionally rear a second brood.
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