Lesser Roadrunner

Geococcyx velox (Wagner, 1836)

Lesser Roadrunner, Geococcyx velox, is a cuckoo of Middle America, breeding from western Mexico to Nicaragua. It belongs to the family Cuculidae and was described by Wagner in 1836. It lives in arid lowlands, open ground with scrub and thorny bushes, and also uses cultivated land. It is found at elevations up to 3,000 m, including semi-open areas above the treeline on some stratovolcanoes. In the field it is smaller than the Greater Roadrunner and has a shorter bill, with a less streaked throat and chest.

Order

Cuculiformes

Family

Cuculidae — Cuckoos

Breeding range

Middle America: w Mexico to Nicaragua