Roadrunner

After lunch today Jeanette went with me to try to get a second look at a couple of questionable sightings I had during my morning Guided Bird Hike. We were walking through the Arroyo De Camino Cactus Garden when we heard a call that I thought was different than a Quail and Jeanette thought similar to a Dove. When I looked up on the ridge toward the sound we saw this Greater Roadrunner.  Their song is described as a descending series of low pitched coos, weaker at the end. This was a first for us to hear and it obliged us with a performance of several minutes with this striking pose.  Sibley says, “—standing bird adopts variety of comical poses”, and I would point out that they are after all in the same family as Cuckoos. I had witnessed a lot of interaction between two Roadrunners earlier, so I’m sure this is all a part of the mating ritual.