BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Other BackYard Poultry › Caged Birds - Finches, Canaries, Cockatiels, Parrots, etc. › Roadrunner chicks- Can I buy Eggs or breeding pairs?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Roadrunner chicks- Can I buy Eggs or breeding pairs?

post #1 of 6
Thread Starter 

I was in Death Valley about 10 years ago. There were several Roadrunners on the golfcourse there.
My question is does anybody raise Roadrunners? Do they make good caged birds or pets?

Jeff

post #2 of 6

99% sure that's illegal in the US.  Most native wild bird species are protected even if they are common and cannot be kept as pets.  Quail are one of the very few exceptions.

post #3 of 6

Correct.  However if you are fortunate enough to live in an area that has roadrunners, they are very curious and tameable birds.  I used to have them come to my sliding glass door and I would throw raw hamburger for them.  I had a couple generations of them that would come around.  They will sneak up behind you and within a couple feet they will start their tocking sound.  To cute.  Then the dogs started chasing them off. sad  They won't come around anymore.

Mom to 4 Golden Retrievers, 3 Muscovys, 40 chickens in a melange of a variety, two red ear sliders, a bullfrog, fish, the zoo keeps growing.  Oh, and wife to a very tolerant man.
Reply
Mom to 4 Golden Retrievers, 3 Muscovys, 40 chickens in a melange of a variety, two red ear sliders, a bullfrog, fish, the zoo keeps growing.  Oh, and wife to a very tolerant man.
Reply
post #4 of 6

I live out in the country in an area where there are a lot of rattlesnakes...especially now that it is Spring.  I have seen maybe two roadrunners out here but would love to have more.  I have a five year old daughter, so this time of the year causes a lot of tension for everyone when she is outside running around.

 

Is there a place I can buy Roadrunner birds or eggs and raise them to keep them on our ranch?  If you have ANY information...websites, phone numbers, etc. I would be SO appreciative and you would be substantially compensated for your help.  Please let me know if you can help us!

post #5 of 6

As mentioned above, if you live in a state where they are native they are illegal to possess which is different then actually owning one as a pet which is also illegal.  As far as I know no one raises them for any reason, pet or snake control.  Your only option would be to join a wild life rescue and specialize in native birds then if you are lucky enough to get one as a rehab animal.  There is a training course you will have to take and you are forbidden to tame the animals down, something which will get you removed from the rescue group if you get caught doing.  There are penalties for keeping them which include warnings or probation for first offences to fines and possibly (I would guess very rarely) a short jail term for multiple repeat offenders.


Edited by philter4 - 3/25/12 at 1:57am
post #6 of 6

Roadrunners are native birds in the USA and you may not legally posses, harass (etc etc) a roadrunner or its eggs. This is a federal law as these birds are protected under the MBTA of 1918. It is heavily enforced and is punishable by jail time and up to $10,000 in fines.

 

http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/RegulationsPolicies/mbta/mbtandx.html

 

 

I know this isn't what you wanted to hear, sorry!

New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Other BackYard Poultry › Caged Birds - Finches, Canaries, Cockatiels, Parrots, etc. › Roadrunner chicks- Can I buy Eggs or breeding pairs?