State Bird of New Mexico

New Mexico's state bird is the Roadrunner
(Geococcyx californianus).

Officially adopted March 16, 1949. It was adopted under the name "Chaparral Bird". In Spanish, it is called "El Correcaminos".

The comical roadrunner prefers running to flying and has been clocked at speeds of 15 miles per hour. They are approximately 22 inches in length and their diet consists of insects, lizards, centipedes, mice and snakes.

Birds of America

By John James Audubon, F. R. SS. L. & E.

Roadrunner

The New Mexico state bird, the Roadrunner, was a bird not known to Audubon in his time, and was therefore not included in the 1840 edition of Birds of America.

However, in keeping with Audubon's central theme of "wild birds native to North America", CMC has decided to include with this file a photograph.

The Editor

Portions copyright © Richard R. Buonanno, 1995
WWW version of John James Audubon's work. "The Birds of America"

Portions copyright © Creative Multimedia Corp., 1990-91, 1992

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