Pronghorns are mid-sized ruminants from western North America. They look much like an antilope or goat, with rusty red fur, white stomach, rump, chin, jaw, and neck stripes; males have a dark stripe from their forehead to muzzle and at the corner of the jaw. The white rump hair can be puffed out as an alarm signal. The males also have upward-facing hooked and pronged horns, the horns of females are much shorter and straight.
Pronghorns are among the most extreme athletes of the animal world. They are commonly cited as the second fastest land animal on Earth, after the cheetah. In addition, they have an extraordinary endurance, and are capable of maintaining high speed for long distances. For all their speed, however, they are poor jumpers - they cannot or will not clear fences in their way, although they will go under barbed wire fences. Pronghorns migrate long distances as the seasons change to find forage.
Pronghorn have very large eyes, which they use to keep watch on the horizon for predators. They also have a remarkably wide range of peripheral vision.
Pronghorns are notably curious, and will check out unusual objects they find.
Pronghorns gather in mixed-sex herds in the winter. In spring, the adult males strike out on their own and the young males form separate bachelor herds. The breeding season is in fall. Some males defend rich territories to breed with females that go through, others gather harems.
Pronghorns are also known as prongbucks, speedgoats, pronghorn antelope, or antelope (the latter two rather inaccurately, since true antelope are bovids).