According to the Tour Texas, "Since 1979, ol’ Pete has been a talisman of this dusty desert town, as well as one of the most recognizable roadside attractions in the southwest. You can visit Pete at any time, but if you stop by during the holidays you just might see him decked out in his very best Santa outfit. And really, does it get any better than a giant roadrunner dressed like Old Saint Nick? We don’t think so.

Photo above: Darin Davis/ Trip Advisor

"“Pete” was the brainchild of Fort Stockton Mayor Gene Cummings. Set at mid-stride, as if he’s about to take off wildly across West Texas, this feathered friend has been the adopted symbol of the community ever since his creation, appearing on signs throughout town, and even getting nicely dressed up for Christmas!"

"Named a True Texas Icon as a town mascot by Texas Highway’s magazine, Paisano Pete can be found at the corner of Main and Dickenson in Fort Stockton, and is one of the more recognizable Texas roadside attractions. The town cares for their bird so much, he in fact received a recent makeover, including fresh coats of paint, allowing him to hold a possible new record – most photogenic bird in Texas." the texashillcountry.com reports.

"Purchased from a Wisconsin company for $6250, the fiberglass statue was perched in the center of town at the corner of Main Street and Dickinson Boulevard. The city then held a “Name the Roadrunner” contest offering $50 to the best suggestion, and after fielding a number of suggestions, Paisano Pete was the winner," the Atlas Obscura reports.

Fort Stockton is a city in and the county seat of Pecos County, Texas, United States. It is located on Interstate 10, future Interstate 14, U.S. Highways 67, 285, and 385, and the Santa Fe Railroad, 329 mi northwest of San Antonio and 240 mi east of El Paso. Its population was 8,283 at the 2010 census.

"Located deep in the heart of West Texas, the city is a living tribute to frontier life, when Comanche Indians, cattle rustlers, and American soldiers came to find water, buffalo, or just a stiff drink," the Tour Texas reports.

Photo: Paisano Pete, world's largest roadrunner. Photo by Belden, Dreanna L.  / University of North Texas Libraries

TESTIMONIALS from Trip Advisor

"Besides it's size, the most impressive feature by far is that it is not a construction of new material, but is a mash of many, many different retired items, from car side mirrors to tennis shoes to busted up cell phones to rusty barb wire strands to, well, more items than I can remember. It is OUTSTANDING, well worth stopping for--as long as you are Eastbound on I-10 in New Mexico!"

"A very large, well made statue in the town, Fun for a photo and to walk around and stretch you legs if trailing though."

"As in a lot of towns there’s always some type of attraction to go see. This was fun to do and is worth a good photo opportunity if your in the area."

"We purposely stopped in Fort Stockton, TX on our way to Big Bend National Park to see the giant roadrunner statue called Paisano Pete. Although it was a little tricky to find, we loved seeing it!"

The GUINNESS WORLD RECORD for the fastest-running flying bird is the North American roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus), a predominantly ground-dwelling species of cuckoo native to the southwestern USA. When pursued by a car, it has been clocked at a highly impressive 42 km/hr (26 mph) over a short distance – a speed that even its famous cartoon counterpart would struggle to emulate!

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS also recognized the world record for the world's fastest-flying species of game bird; it is the red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator). Native to freshwater rivers and lakes across Europe, Asia, North America and Greenland, its maximum recorded level flying speed is 130 km (81 mph).