Greater roadrunner of New Mexico. Greater roadrunner The greater roadrunner ("Geococcyx californianus") is a long-legged bird in the cuckoo family, Cuculidae, from Southwestern United States and Mexico. The Latin name means "Californian earth-cuckoo". Along with the lesser roadrunner, it is one of two species in the roadrunner genus "Geococcyx". This roadrunner is also known as the chaparral cock, ground cuckoo, and snake killer. The roadrunner is about long, has a wingspan and weighs . It stands around tall and is the largest cuckoo of the Americas. Roadrunners have four toes on each zygodactyl foot; two face forward, and two face backward. The
The Cuckoo (song) The third verse is the standard "Cuckoo is a pretty bird" and after an adapted floating verse: If I were a clerk And I could write a good hand I would write to my true love So that she'd understand That I am a young fellow Who is wounded in love Once I lived in Buncloudy But now must remove. The song ends in a sad verse about emigration. There is a fine recording of this song from Luke Kelly of The Dubliners. The cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) was until recent times a common visitor to the English countryside in spring