Scientific Name:
Coracias naevius
Distribution
Sub-Saharan Africa, Angola, Namibia E to Zambia, S Mozambique and NE South Africa.
Diet:
Mainly insectivore. Large insects and small vertebrates (grasshoppers, mantises, beetles, ants, scorpions, lizards, snakes, rodents, young birds.
Facts
Habitat: Open savanna woodland, farmland, rocky and shrubby hillsides.
Incubation: 22-24 days / 2-4 eggs
Social structure: Pairs or small flocks
Weight: 125-200g
Dimensions: 35-40cm
Lifespan: 8-10
Estimated population in the wild: Widespread and locally frequent, even abundant.
Threats: Habitat destruction.
IUCN Status: Least Concern
Did you know that:
- They spend long periods perched at the top of thorn trees or poles, watching for food items on the ground.
- Rollers get their name from their flight display, where the females and males chase each other, “rolling” through the sky.