Lilacbreasted Roller
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Gewone troupant  Lilacbreasted RollerCoracias caudata Kruger National Park |
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General - They are medium sized birds with a lilac breast and azure blue abdomen. The bird has 7 different shades of blue. Forehead and brow are whitish, the back is brown. The pointed blue outer-tail feathers are elongated to form pointed streamers.
Distribution - A common resident, widespread in Africa south of Congo Basin, but absent from southern South Africa; also found north to East Africa, Ethiopia and Somalia.
Habitat - Common in open scrub and woodland, open parklands and even thornveld.
Biological details - Monogamous birds, usually seen solitary or in pairs. During the breeding season both sexes perform characteristic roller aerobatics involving rotating side to side on a downward stoop. It starts with a male sitting opposite a female, and then the male attacking the female. The female responds, they fly straight up, tip forward and fall rapidly with closed wings. As they reach the ground, they level out and fly very fast, rolling four or five times! Sweeping up again, they fly high and repeat the display. Females that have just sexually matured will perform this wedding dance with several males and choose the one with whom the performance went most harmoniously. Harsh, rasping squawks and screams usually accompany this performance.
Diet - You are likely to see the Lilacbreasted Roller perched atop a dead tree, bush or telegraph pole, scanning the ground below for prey — locusts, beetles, caterpillars, ants, centipedes, lizards, locusts, grasshoppers, and scorpions. Once one of these is spotted, it flies down, hovers briefly, and drops on its victim. They may eat it there on the ground, or return to their perch before swallowing it whole. It is quickly attracted to bush fires, preying on fleeing animals fleeing, which they will take on the wing.
Breeding - They will breed from September to December. The male Lilacbreasted Roller is responsible for a nesting site. Rather than working itself to death it chases a barbet or woodpecker away from its nest, or occupies a hole in a termite mound or near bee-eaters in a steep, muddy wall. The female produces a clutch of 2-3 eggs in the unlined nest; both partner incubate the eggs for 17-18 days. The young can fly after about 35 days, but are still fed by their parents for another 10 days.
Call - A very harsh call and loud call "zaaak zaaak".
Other names - D Gabelracke, Grünscheitelracke - DK Lillabrystet Ellekrage - F Rollier à longue queue, Rollier à longs brins - FI äihkynärhi, savannisininärhi - NL Vorkstaartscharrelaar - PL Kraska liliowopiersna
Books
Ian Sinclair - A photographic guide to birds of Southern Africa. Struik Publ., ISBN 1-86872-553-7
Ian Sinclair et al. - Sasol birds of Southern Africa. Struik Publ. ISBN 1-86872-033-0
Kenneth Newman - Newman se voëls van Suider-Afrika. SAPPI. ISBN 1-868-12-758-3
Vincent Carruthers (ed.) - The Wildlife of Southern Africa. Struik Publ. ISBN 1-86872-451-4
Weblinks
Oakland Zoo
Tierseiten (German)