Roadrunners are among the fastest-running birds on land. In practice:
- Greater roadrunner: typically reaches about 20 mph (32 km/h) in steady running, with reports of short bursts up to roughly 25–26 mph (40–42 km/h) in sprinting bouts. These bursts are among the fastest speeds recorded for any bird while still being able to fly.
- Lesser roadrunner: generally a bit slower than the greater species, but still capable of rapid ground speed in short bursts. Common references place it around 20 mph as well, with similar sprint observations in some accounts.
Key context:
- Roadrunners are ground-dwelling cuckoos that largely rely on running to escape predators and catch prey, though they can fly if needed for short distances.
- The “26 mph” figure is a commonly cited upper bound from observational reports and articles, though exact speeds can vary by individual, terrain, and motivation.
If you’d like, I can narrow this to a precise species (greater vs lesser) and add sources from biology and field guides.
