Greater Roadrunner

Geococcyx californianus

Long-legged and streaky brown with a shaggy crest and a long tail it uses as a rudder, the Greater Roadrunner is built for speed on the ground. Found in deserts and scrublands of the southwestern United States and Mexico, it can sprint at over 20 mph. Despite being a cuckoo, it rarely flies, preferring to chase down lizards, snakes, and insects on foot.