Bonnie Norris,  LaPorte, Texas for his question:

Is there really such a bird as a road runner?

Yes, indeed, there is a bird called the road runner. And a very fascinating, useful fellow he is. He is a native of Texas and the southwest. He is a sizable bird. Including his tail he measures two feet long. He is a scrappy fe11o‑w, afraid of nothing.

Driving in a car, you may see him sprinting along a desert road. He can run at 15 miles an hour. He does not fly but he uses his wings to help him in his fastest sprints.

The road runner is most famous as a killer of rattlers. This he does with great skill and courage. He dodges the thrust as the snake strikes. Time after time he goads the snake into striking for nothing. This agile game keeps up until the rattler Is all worn out.

Then the scrappy little bird moves in for the kill. He uses his sharp, hooked beak to grasp the tired snake by the neck. Then he bashes the snake’s head on the ground or on a rock. Sometimes the road runner eats the snake. Actually he prefers to dine on lizards.  He is the state bird for the state of New Mexico.