Trivia question for Apr-06-2011

Carter likes these guys because because of their funny looking crest.  Let’s see how he does.  These birds use sticks, mesquite pods, snakeskin and cattle dung to build its nest in arid, treeless regions.

The adult has a bushy crest and long thick dark bill. It has a long dark tail, a dark head and back, and is blue on the front of the neck and on the belly. These birds have four toes on each foot; two face forward, and two face backward.

This bird walks around rapidly, running down prey or occasionally jumping up to catch insects or birds. It mainly feeds on insects, with the addition of small reptiles (including rattlesnakes up to 60 cm long), rodents and other small mammals, spiders, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes, small birds (particularly from feeders and birdhouses) and eggs, and carrion.

So here are Carter’s questions:  How do these birds conserve energy during cold desert nights and at their average speed, how many steps per second can these guys take?  Also, tell us one of the other names used to describe these birds?

Good Luck 😉

Answer:

We had some great guesses but unfortunately no one got it correct.  The bird we featured is the Greater Roadrunner and they conserve energy at night when it is cold by becoming sluggish so they use less energy to keep themselves warm.  In the morning as the sun raises, they simply expose their dark dorsal skin to the sun which warms them up quicker.

Roadrunners are known for their speed but did you know that at full speed (about 15-mph) , they make about 12 steps per second?  Their little feet go so fast that they actually look like a blur.  This roadrunner is also known as the chaparral cock, ground cuckoo, and snake killer.  And for the record, Roadrunners do not make a Beep Beep sound, their song actually goes like this coo-coo-c00-oo-oo-oo, you try it out.  Anyway, here is more on these speedy little birds: Greater Roadrunner

Thanks for playing along 😉