SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 42

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

John M. Sapien

A JOINT MEMORIAL

DECLARING MARCH 16, 2009 THE "DAY OF THE ROADRUNNER" AT THE LEGISLATURE TO RECOGNIZE THE SIXTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ADOPTION OF THE ROADRUNNER AS NEW MEXICO'S STATE BIRD AND TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE THE ROADRUNNER.

     WHEREAS, the roadrunner, or chaparral, is New Mexico's state bird; and

     WHEREAS, the roadrunner was adopted as the state bird on March 16, 1949; and

     WHEREAS, the roadrunner darts, dashes and roams throughout the state with the exception of the Four Corners area; and

     WHEREAS, the image of the roadrunner with its distinctive head crest, thick beak, long legs and exaggerated tail has become an icon for all New Mexicans; and

     WHEREAS, the colors of the roadrunner are said to reflect the colors of the desert; and

     WHEREAS, the land-loving bird can run at speeds of up to fifteen miles per hour and often sprints rather than flying; and

     WHEREAS, the roadrunner is an opportunistic omnivore, living on insects; small reptiles, including lizards and snakes; rodents and small mammals; tarantulas; scorpions; centipedes; spiders; small birds, eggs and nestlings; and fruits and seeds, such as prickly pear cactus and sumac; and

     WHEREAS, the roadrunner is the only known predator of the tarantula hawk wasp; and

     WHEREAS, the roadrunner, which may have a wingspan of up to three feet wide, lowers its body temperature during cold desert nights, going into a slight torpor to conserve energy; and

     WHEREAS, the roadrunner warms itself during the day by exposing dark patches of skin on its back to the sun; and

     WHEREAS, the roadrunner is a monogamous creature and may mate for life; and

     WHEREAS, roadrunners may hold the same territory all year long; and

     WHEREAS, some think the roadrunner sets a good example for human relationships, as both male and female care for their young, feeding hatchlings, warming the nest and ensuring that at least one parent stays with hatchlings in their first weeks of life;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the roadrunner, New Mexico's state bird, be honored by all New Mexicans; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that March 16, 2009, the sixtieth anniversary of naming the bird as a New Mexico icon, be declared the "Day of the Roadrunner" at the legislature.

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