Geococcyx Californianus

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

Geococcyx californianus
    n 1: speedy largely terrestrial bird found from California and
         Mexico to Texas [syn: {roadrunner}, {chaparral cock},
         {Geococcyx californianus}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Chaparral \Cha`par*ral"\, n. [Sp., fr. chaparro an evergeen
   oak.]
   1. A thicket of low evergreen oaks.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. An almost impenetrable thicket or succession of thickets
      of thorny shrubs and brambles.
      [1913 Webster]

   {Chaparral cock}; fem. {Chaparral hen} (Zool.), a bird of the
      cuckoo family ({Geococcyx Californianus}), noted for
      running with great speed. It ranges from California to
      Mexico and eastward to Texas; -- called also {road
      runner}, {ground cuckoo}, {churea}, and {snake killer}. It
      is the state bird of New Mexico.
      [1913 Webster +PJC] chapati