# 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. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Savannas ![Lilac-breasted Roller](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/005_Lilac-breasted_roller_in_flight_in_Etosha_National_Park_Photo_by_Giles_Laurent.jpg&width=800) Photo: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:005_Lilac-breasted_roller_in_flight_in_Etosha_National_Park_Photo_by_Giles_Laurent.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Coraciiformes - **Family:** Coraciidae - **Genus:** Coracias ## 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 - **Air Acrobat Hunter:** Lilac-breasted Rollers can catch insects in mid-air with their agile flight because that helps them grab fast-moving prey. - **Rainbow Flasher:** Lilac-breasted Rollers have brilliantly colored feathers that help them attract mates and communicate during stunning aerial displays. - **Sharp-Eyed Spotter:** 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 - **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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/migratory-locust) (*Locusta migratoria*) — Rollers prey on large insects like locusts, controlling their populations. - **Shelter:** 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Savanna](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Lilac-breasted Roller? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Lilac-breasted Roller? 30-37 cm ### What is Lilac-breasted Roller's wingspan? 50-58 cm ### How much does Lilac-breasted Roller weigh? 0.1-0.15 kg ### How long does Lilac-breasted Roller live? 8-10 years ### How fast can Lilac-breasted Roller move? 60 km/h ### What does Lilac-breasted Roller eat? These colorful birds mostly eat insects, but also enjoy small reptiles and amphibians! ### Where is Lilac-breasted Roller usually found? Savannas ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Lilac-breasted Roller: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lilac-breasted-roller)