Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

The Lilac-breasted Roller is a colorful bird with bright blue and lilac feathers. It loves to perch on trees and is often seen in open areas, making it a beautiful sight to see in nature.

Habitat: Savannas

Appearance

The Lilac-breasted Roller has a dazzling array of colors, with a bright lilac breast, turquoise belly, and dark blue primary feathers. Its back is reddish-brown, contrasting with its vibrant head and throat.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderCoraciiformesFamilyCoraciidaeGenusCoracias

Lilac-breasted Roller

Interesting facts

Despite their vibrant looks, their call is a harsh, chattering sound, not pretty!

These colorful birds often use old woodpecker or barbet tree holes to build their nests.

They can eat venomous scorpions, carefully removing the stinger first!

They perform spectacular "rolling" courtship flights, twisting and diving in the air!

Special abilities

Lilac-breasted Rollers can catch insects in mid-air with their agile flight because that helps them grab fast-moving prey.

Lilac-breasted Rollers have brilliantly colored feathers that help them attract mates and communicate during stunning aerial displays.

Lilac-breasted Rollers can spot tiny insects and lizards from high perches, helping them efficiently hunt from above.

Measurements & details

Length: 30-37 cm
Wingspan: 50-58 cm
Weight: 0.1-0.15 kg
Lifespan: 8-10 years
Top Speed: 60 km/h
Clutch Size: 2-4
Incubation: 22-24 days

Diet & Feeding

These colorful birds mostly eat insects, but also enjoy small reptiles and amphibians!

Primary Foods

Grasshoppers
Locusts
Beetles
Lizards
Small snakes
Frogs

Foraging Method

Ambush

Ecological connections

eaten by

Tawny Eagle

Aquila rapax

Larger birds of prey, like eagles, can occasionally hunt them.

eats

Migratory Locust

Locusta migratoria

Rollers prey on large insects like locusts, controlling their populations.

shelters

Grey Woodpecker

Dendropicos griseocephalus

Rollers nest in tree cavities, often old ones excavated by woodpeckers.

eats

Common Agama

Agama agama

Rollers hunt small reptiles such as lizards from their high perches.

Traits

Feathered

Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers.

Social

Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.

Aerial

Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Insectivorous

This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.

Savanna

This habitat trait denotes species native to savannas, which are grasslands with scattered trees, typically found in tropical or subtropical regions with distinct wet and dry seasons.