Which striking, charismatic Greater Roadrunner gets to race across state highways on Texas license plates?
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) asks the public to help it decide between three proposed images for its latest conservation license plate.
To choose a design featuring the iconic bird, click here. Voters have until April 21 to complete this brief online survey.
Shelly Plante, Nature Tourism manager for TPWD, said the plate designs are intended to appeal to those who love birds, enjoy watching wildlife or have fond memories of roadrunners.
“The Greater Roadrunner is a striking, charismatic bird that can be found everywhere in Texas,” she said. “People in Texas love roadrunners and tend to remember when they are lucky enough to see them in person, making these birds the perfect subject for our new conservation license plate.”
TWPD’s Conservation License Plate Program has raised around $10 million in 21 years. Funds from the new license plate will benefit programs like Great Texas Wildlife Trails, Great Texas Birding Classic, and Texas Paddling Trails.
TPWD’s specialty plates cost $30 per year. Of that, $22 goes to the state agency. Plates can be purchased for vehicles, RVs/travel trailers, trailers and motorcycles.
Other conservation plate designs feature a horned lizard, a largemouth bass, Texas rivers, a hummingbird, a rattlesnake, a white-tailed deer, a bluebonnet, a desert bighorn sheep and a monarch butterfly.
“People might sport this plate on their vehicle, RV, or trailer based on different reasons—they’re interested in wildlife conservation efforts, they think it matches their car, or they remember the tough roadrunner in the Wylie coyote cartoons who always left the coyote in his dust,” said Janis Johnson, marketing manager of the Conservation License Plate Program. “We try to create license plates that people enjoy and want to buy while also knowing their plate fee goes to the worthy cause of helping wildlife, rivers, state parks, and now, wildlife watching and nature tourism in Texas.”
