There are some birds you hear long before you see them. Others announce themselves with bright colors or a pretty song. Then there is the roadrunner, a bird most of us recognize from a quick glimpse across a county road, a flash of tail along a fence line or the unmistakable sight of a long-legged bird moving with purpose through the pasture.

The roadrunner also happens to be my mother’s favorite animal. No matter how many times she sees one, it never seems to get old. If one darts across the road or shows up along a fence line, she gets excited every time, as if it is some rare treat. I have come to understand why. There is something about a roadrunner that makes a person stop and pay attention. It is a little odd, a little comical and a whole lot tougher than its cartoon reputation ever gave it credit for.

The real bird is not just a desert runner with a famous call. It is a native predator, a skilled survivor and one of the more interesting birds found in Oklahoma.

The greater roadrunner, Geococcyx californianus, is a member of the cuckoo family, though it does not fit the delicate image many people may have of a cuckoo. This is a ground-dwelling bird built more for running than flying. It can fly when it needs to, but most of the time it would rather use its legs. Roadrunners have been reported running around 15 to 20 miles per hour, which is plenty fast enough to surprise a person when one darts across a road or disappears into brush.

In Oklahoma, roadrunners are most often associated with open country, grasslands, shrublands, fence rows, cedar breaks and pastures with enough cover to hunt and hide. They are more common in some parts of the state than others, but they are not limited to the desert image many people picture. A quiet gravel road, a brushy pasture edge or a sunny spot near a cedar thicket can all be good places to catch a glimpse of one.

At first glance, the roadrunner may look mostly brown and gray, but it is worth a closer look. Its mottled feathers help it blend into dry grass, brush and bare ground. The long tail is often held up or used like a rudder when the bird is running. The shaggy crest on its head gives it an alert, almost mischievous look. In the right light, its feathers can show more color and detail than a quick roadside sighting suggests.

One of the most distinctive things about a roadrunner is its feet. Like other members of the cuckoo family, roadrunners have zygodactyl feet, which means two toes point forward and two point backward. The track can look like an “X,” making it harder to tell which direction the bird was traveling. That unusual footprint has been part of Southwestern folklore for centuries, and it is easy to see why. Even its tracks seem to fit the bird’s mysterious, always-on-the-move personality.

While the cartoon version of the roadrunner made a living outsmarting coyotes, the real bird makes a living by hunting almost anything it can catch. Roadrunners are omnivores, but their diet is heavily made up of animal matter. They eat insects, grasshoppers, scorpions, centipedes, lizards, small snakes, small mammals, frogs, toads, eggs, young birds and carrion. They will also eat fruit and seeds, especially when animal prey is less available.

Their reputation for killing rattlesnakes is not just folklore. Roadrunners are known to take on venomous snakes, using speed, timing and repeated strikes to the head. They may also beat larger prey against the ground or a rock before swallowing it. As harsh as that sounds, it is part of what makes the roadrunner such an effective predator. This bird is not picky, and it is not easily intimidated.

That hunting ability can make roadrunners useful neighbors on farms, ranches and rural homesteads. They help control insects, rodents and reptiles, and they fill an important role in the food chain. Of course, they are not only predators. Roadrunners can also become prey for hawks, owls, raccoons, coyotes and other animals. The cartoon may have allowed the roadrunner to win every time, but in the real world, survival is never guaranteed.

Roadrunners have several adaptations that help them live in hot, dry country. Much of the water they need comes from the moisture in their prey. They also have ways to conserve energy and handle cool desert nights and chilly mornings. On cold nights, a roadrunner can lower its body temperature and become less active. In the morning, it may turn its back toward the sun and raise its feathers to expose a dark patch of skin that helps absorb heat. Anyone who has watched livestock, wildlife or even a barn cat find the first warm patch of sunshine can appreciate that strategy.

Their nesting habits are also interesting. Roadrunners often form long-term pairs, and both the male and female help with nesting and raising the young. Nests are usually built low in a tree, shrub, cactus or dense vegetation, often with sticks, twigs, grasses and other materials. The female typically lays several eggs, and both parents take part in incubation and feeding the chicks after they hatch.

Young roadrunners are not born ready to chase lizards across the pasture. Like many birds, they hatch helpless and depend on their parents for food and protection. After they leave the nest, they may continue to rely on the adults while learning to hunt. In a good year with plenty of food, roadrunners may raise more than one brood.

For all their toughness, roadrunners still depend on healthy habitat. Brushy cover, native grasses, insects, reptiles and small mammals all help support them. A perfectly manicured landscape does not offer much to a bird that hunts on the ground and needs places to hide, nest and ambush prey. On rural properties, leaving some natural cover, protecting native plant diversity and avoiding unnecessary pesticide use can benefit roadrunners and many other wildlife species.

Roadrunners are also a good reminder that Oklahoma wildlife does not have to be rare or dramatic to be remarkable. Some of the most interesting animals in the state are the ones we pass every day without thinking much about them. The bird that sprints across the road in front of the pickup is more than a familiar blur. It is a snake-hunting, sun-bathing, X-footed member of the cuckoo family that has figured out how to make a living in some unforgiving country.

Maybe that is why my mother loves them so much. A roadrunner sighting still feels like a small surprise, even in country where they belong. The greater roadrunner may not actually say “meep meep,” and it may not always outrun a coyote, but it has earned its reputation all the same. In Oklahoma, this long-tailed bird is part predator, part survivor and part roadside surprise, and that makes it worth watching for.

Aquatic vegetation can make a pond look messy, but plant growth in the water is not always a problem. In fact, some vegetation is good for most ponds. The issue is not whether plants are present. The issue is what kind of plants they are, how much of the pond they cover and what the landowner wants the pond to do.

A pond used mainly for fishing, livestock water or wildlife habitat can benefit from a moderate amount of aquatic vegetation. Plants help stabilize banks, reduce erosion, provide cover for fish and wildlife, improve water clarity and give insects, frogs and other small creatures a place to live. A pond with no vegetation at all may look clean, but it may not be as healthy or productive as it appears.

On the other hand, too much vegetation can interfere with fishing, watering livestock, swimming, irrigation or general enjoyment of the pond. Dense plant growth can make it difficult for fish to move and for anglers to cast. It can clog pumps or water lines. In some situations, it can also contribute to low oxygen problems, especially if large amounts of vegetation die and begin to decompose.

That is why pond management starts with the goal. A catfish production pond may need very little vegetation. A waterfowl pond may benefit from heavy coverage of certain plants. A typical farm or ranch pond used for livestock water and fishing usually does best with a middle ground. The right amount depends on the pond’s purpose.

The best time to prevent aquatic plant problems is when the pond is built or renovated. Many aquatic plants are limited by water depth. Shallow water allows sunlight to reach the bottom, which encourages plant growth. Deeper water reduces that opportunity. The Noble Research Institute article notes that many plant problems can be prevented by shaping most pond banks to a 20 to 25 percent slope down to at least four or five feet of depth.

That does not mean every pond can or should be rebuilt. Draining and reshaping an existing pond just to deal with weeds is usually not practical. But for landowners building a new pond, depth and bank slope are important decisions. Shallow edges may look gentle and easy to access, but they often become prime spots for unwanted plant growth. If livestock use the pond, fencing can help keep cattle from breaking down the banks and creating more shallow, muddy areas.

Once a pond has too much vegetation, there are usually three broad options: change the pond environment, use fish that eat plants or apply aquatic herbicides.

Changing the pond environment means making conditions less favorable for plant growth. Aquatic plants need sunlight and nutrients. Pond dyes can reduce sunlight penetration and limit the growth of submerged plants. Muddy water can have a similar effect, but muddy water is rarely the best solution. It may reduce plant growth, but it can also create water quality problems and lower fish production.

Fertilization is another tool sometimes used to encourage a phytoplankton bloom. A bloom can shade the pond bottom and tie up nutrients, limiting the growth of some submerged plants. This approach requires care. Too much fertility can create oxygen problems, fish stress or algae issues. Pond fertilization should not be a casual guess. Landowners considering this route should talk with a fisheries biologist before starting.

Grass carp are often used for aquatic vegetation control. These fish feed on many types of aquatic plants and can be useful in the right pond. They are not a perfect solution for every situation. Grass carp do not eat all plant species equally, and stocking too many can remove more vegetation than desired. Landowners should check state rules before stocking them, since regulations may apply.

Goldfish may help reduce filamentous algae in small ponds or stock tanks that do not contain larger predator fish. The Noble article notes that goldfish reduced filamentous algae to acceptable levels in metal stock tanks at Noble’s Red River Demonstration and Research Farm. This may be a practical option in some small watering systems, but it is not a general answer for larger ponds.

Herbicides are another tool, but they need to be used carefully. The first step is identifying the plant. Different herbicides control different types of vegetation. A product that works on algae may not work on cattails. A product labeled for floating plants may not control submerged weeds. Accurate identification can save money and reduce damage to plants that are not causing problems.

Labels matter. Only products labeled for aquatic use should be applied in or around ponds. The label will explain rates, timing, water-use restrictions and safety precautions. Some products may limit when water can be used for livestock, irrigation or recreation after treatment. Landowners should read and follow the label every time.

Timing also matters. Treating a pond after weeds have already taken over can create a new problem. When large amounts of vegetation die at once, decomposition uses oxygen from the water. If oxygen drops too low, fish can die. This risk is highest in hot weather because warm water holds less oxygen. In most cases, treating smaller areas or acting earlier in the growing season is safer than waiting until the pond is covered.

Not every plant needs to be removed. Some shoreline plants protect banks and provide habitat. Some submerged plants help small fish avoid predators. Some floating plants provide shade and cover. The goal should be control, not always elimination. A completely bare pond can be less useful for fish and wildlife.

Landowners should also look at what is feeding the plant growth. Runoff from fertilized fields, lawns, corrals or feeding areas can add nutrients to the pond. Livestock standing in the water can stir sediment, damage banks and contribute manure. Fixing those sources may help reduce future plant problems. Buffer strips of grass and vegetation around the pond can help filter runoff before it reaches the water.

Aquatic vegetation is easiest to manage when landowners pay attention early. Walk the pond edges during the growing season. Notice where plants are starting, how fast they are spreading and whether they are interfering with the pond’s use. Take photos and, if needed, collect a sample for identification. County Extension offices, fisheries biologists and conservation professionals can often help determine what plant is present and what control options make sense.

A pond is a living system. Plants, fish, insects, livestock, wildlife, water depth and nutrients all affect one another. Managing aquatic vegetation is not just about killing weeds. It is about keeping the pond useful, healthy and balanced.

For most farm and ranch ponds, some vegetation is a benefit. Too much becomes a problem. The key is knowing the difference and choosing the right tool before a small issue takes over the water.

By Norman Winter | The Garden Guy

When it comes to the backyard wildlife habitat, the cup plant has it all. To me, it is the flag bearer perennial for bees, butterflies, and birds. It is a stalwart native in 34 states from Louisiana north to Canada crossing every border east. Alas however its size is quite imposing. It is big, bold and wonderful, and this is the time of the year it shines the most.

If you are getting interested but are not familiar with the cup plant, it is known botanically as Silphium perfoliatum and as I alluded above cold hardy from zones 3-9. It can grow tall, 4 to 10 feet, and colonize, so it is a plant for the back of the border. Here at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens ours are around 7 feet.

Though it may be hard to imagine, they can dwarf a brown-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia triloba, or a Brazilan sage, Salvia guaranitica, both also considered large plants and terrific partners for the cup plant. Close by, we have the pagoda flower Clerodendrum paniculatum, Java glory bower, Clerodendrum speciosissimum, as well as Baby Lace, Hydrangea paniculata, all of which do their part to bring in hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.

You may be asking, why it’s called a cup plant. This is one of the magical attributes of the plant. As the plant grows, it develops large square stems that give the impression of piercing the center of the large leaves. It has two leaves without petioles that are attached to the stem, forming a perfect cup to collect rainwater. Small birds like finches take advantage of this natural reservoir of water. These same birds also feed on the seeds as they mature and get ready to disperse.

You’ll find the blooms to be covered in what may best be described as a pollinating frenzy. Every kind of bee, including honey bees by the hundreds, bumble bees, and wasps are there doing their thing. A quick glance on a recent morning visit showed eastern tiger swallowtails, long-tailed skippers, fiery skippers and yellow sulphur butterflies. It was like a Serengeti for pollinators. Though I didn’t see any, everyone reports hummingbirds on the plants as well.

The nature lover will find this to be one of the most thrilling plants to incorporate in the landscape. Get a chair, a pair of binoculars and a camera, and you are ready for a day of journaling. It will take some attitude adjustment for most gardeners before planting.

First, are you ready to incorporate such a tall, aster-family member into the back of the border? Second, can you accept a colonizing racehorse of a plant so to speak? Not only will you have rhizome spread but you will have reseeding. So, in other words, there will be some maintenance to confine to space allotted.

Native plant nurseries sell the plants, but they are also easy to start from seeds. Sow non-stratified seeds in the fall or stratified seeds in the spring. If you want to stratify, moisten coarse sand and seeds in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for three months.

Since this plant will be the backbone of your wildlife habitat or pollinator garden choose companions that are not only beautiful but will bring them in too. I’ve mentioned salvias and brown-eyed Susan’s, but Joe Pye weeds, milkweeds, and ironweeds native to your region would partner well.

Other favorites would be anise hyssops like Blue Fortune, Blue Boa, and Black Adder. They would give that complementary sizzle of opposite colors. Lastly, use the cup plant to create mystery in the garden by blocking a view and forming an area of transition.

The cup plant amazingly does it all for both wildlife and pollinators, all the while showing out with dazzling 3½-inch yellow blossoms. You have to agree that is pretty doggone special.