Scientific Name:
Coracias cyanogaster
Distribution
W and C Africa, from Senegal eastward to S Sudan
Diet:
Mainly insectivore. Large invertebrates (mantises, grasshoppers, beetles, termites, ants, wasps, millipedes, earthworms), small vertebrates (skinks, small snakes), occasionally nuts of oil palm.
Facts
Habitat: Wooded savanna, cultivations, forest edges.
Incubation: 18 days / 4 eggs
Social structure: Pairs or polygamous groups of 3-7 birds, rarely up to 20.
Weight: male 178g max, female 150g max
Dimensions: 28-30cm
Lifespan: 15 under human care
Estimated population in the wild: Common
Threats: Habitat destruction.
Did you know that:
- Rollers get their name from their flight display, where the females and males chase each other, “rolling” through the sky.
- Ιn agricultural areas they play a key role in pest control for farmers by eating insects which may otherwise feed on crops.