In these parts, roadrunners are entertainment. They don't fly, but are talented at hopping from one thing to another to get on roofs and into trees. Then they glide down to earth with elegance and grace. Mostly they, well, run—and are somehow humorous whatever they're doing. Parents with babies scuttling along behind are always good for a smile. It's no wonder the roadrunner made a popular cartoon character, and like the cartoon version, something about their attitudes seems smart and streetwise. They are a common sight running across roads with lizards or snakes clamped in their beaks. They forage for worms, beetles, grubs and other ground-dwellers, but this summer I watched one eating a dead sparrow (cat casualty, I think), and although I realize they are carnivores and meat is meat, still it was disconcerting.
