Roadrunner Oval

From $31.75

Spend a morning in the Sonoran or Chihuahuan Desert and sooner or later a streak of brown and white will dash across the trail ahead of you. The greater roadrunner is a member of the cuckoo family that would much rather run than fly, hitting speeds near 20 miles an hour as it chases down lizards, grasshoppers and even small rattlesnakes. On chilly mornings it turns its back to the sun and fluffs its feathers to soak up the warmth, and its X-shaped footprints, two toes forward and two back, keep anyone from telling which way it went. The Roadrunner Oval shows the bird mid-dash: crest raised, bill pointed straight ahead, tail angled high for balance and one long leg reaching for the next stride. Thin slits worked into the hand-cut metal trace the wing feathers, neck streaks and tail, letting the wall behind fill in the details. Hammered Black gives a bold, finely textured outline, while Rust Patina brings a mottled reddish-brown that echoes the desert floor. Small nails, double-sided tape, velcro, or magnets put it on the wall in minutes. Place it in a birdwatcher's study, a home office, a hallway of nature prints, a ranch-style den, or a desert-modern bedroom, alongside western and Southwest furnishings. A memorable present for hikers, birders, and anyone who has ever braked for a roadrunner crossing the road.