What does the Greater Roadrunner eat?

The Greater Roadrunner's diet shapes where and when you'll find it. Understanding what it eats helps you predict where to look.

Diet overview

Carnivore, primarily insectivorous and carnivorous, preying on a wide variety of small animals.

How it forages

Opportunistic carnivore. Hunts by running rapidly, ambushing prey. Diet includes insects (grasshoppers, beetles), spiders, scorpions, lizards, snakes (including rattlesnakes), small mammals (mice, young rabbits), small birds, eggs, and occasionally fruits or seeds. Known for its ability to kill and consume venomous snakes by repeatedly striking their heads against the ground or a hard object.

When it feeds

Diurnal, most active during the cooler parts of the morning and late afternoon.

Explore the Greater Roadrunner