{
  "id": 5422094,
  "title": "Great Job, Internet!: Real coyote's roadrunner meal captured for posterity in California",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/great-job-internet-real-coyotes-roadrunner-meal-captured-for",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-03T14:43:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The A.V. Club",
    "slug": "the-a-v-club",
    "url": "https://www.avclub.com/great-job-internet-coyote-roadrunner-captured-by-californian-birdwatcher"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a surprising turn of events, a Southern California birdwatcher has captured a rare photograph of a coyote devouring a roadrunner. Alexander deBarros, a birder and private tour guide, snapped the image in the Chatsworth Nature Preserve while guiding a group from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. DeBarros told KTLA reporter Rachel Menitoff that he took a few quick pictures to confirm that the bird in the coyote's mouth was indeed a roadrunner before the animal ran off. The coyote's swift speed is known to be superior to that of the roadrunner, according to the report. DeBarros' father, Brian Mainolfi, is an animator who worked for Chuck Jones, the creator of Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner. Mainolfi found the photograph quite fortuitous, as he texted his son upon seeing it, commenting that it was the perfect weekend for the \"Coyote vs. Acme\" movie adaptation. While photographs of a coyote with a roadrunner are scarce, Mainolfi was unable to find any verified images online, leaving the uniqueness of this encounter in question. The incident highlights the complex relationship between these two creatures, as depicted in popular culture, and reinforces the notion that reality can sometimes be more thrilling than fiction.",
  "summary": "The find comes from a local birdwatcher whose father is—yes, really—an animator who has worked with Chuck Jones.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}