Greater Roadrunner, Geococcyx californianus – Catalina State
Park; Tucson, Arizona: It’s hard
to imagine that the roadrunner is of the same family as the Mangrove,
Yellwo-billed and Black-billed Cuckoo, but it really is. I have seen the roadrunner on many occasions
chasing down lizards and striking with speed and accuracy of any top of the
pyramid predator. The roadrunner
is a bird of prey, fleet of foot, that attacks on the run rather than the air. Yet, when you hear the birds call it is
no doubt the call of a cuckoo.
While driving around Catalina State Park I found this bird and its mate
running through the desert scrub searching for its next victim. As they moved through the scrub they
would occasional call to each other, perhaps a call to say, “I am here, where
are you,” who really know, but they constantly called back and forth.
Getting a shot was
difficult, because the birds were constantly on the move. I moved with them, trying to
get in the right place for the shot.
Finally after much effort I was in the right place to get an image I was
pleased with. Unfortunately I did
not get the shot of a lizard in the roadrunners beak that I so desperately
wanted............Maybe I’ll have better
luck next year!Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/400sec. @ f5
