Blue-bellied Roller Website Links For
Roller
 

Information About

Blue-bellied Roller




  Name Blue-bellied Roller
  Regnum Animal ia
  Phylum Chordata
  Classis Aves
  Ordo Coraciiformes
  Familia Coraciidae
  Genus '' Coracias ''
  Species '''''C cyanogaster'''''
  Binomial ''Coracius cyanogaster''
  Binomial Authority Cuvier , 1816


The Blue-bellied Roller, ''Coracias cyanogaster'', is a member of the Roller family of Bird s which breeds across Africa in a narrow belt from Senegal to northeast Zaire . It is resident, apart from some local seasonal movements, in mature moist savannah dominated by '' Isoberlinia '' trees.

The Blue-bellied Roller is a large bird, nearly the size of a Jackdaw at 28-30 cm. It has a dark green back, white head, neck and breast, with the rest of the plumage mainly blue. Adults have 6cm tail streamers. Sexes are similar, but the juvenile is a drabber version of the adult.

Blue-bellied Roller is striking in its strong direct flight, with the brilliant blues of the wings contrasting with the dark back and white head, and the tail streamers trailing behind.

This is a common bird of warm open country with some trees. These rollers often perch prominently on trees, posts or overhead wires, like giant Shrike s, whilst watching for the Grasshopper s and other large Insect s on which they feed.

The display of this bird is a Lapwing -like display, with the twists and turns that give this species its English name. It nests in a hole in a tree cavity.

The call of Blue-bellied Roller is a harsh clicking ''ga-ga-ga'' sound.


REFERENCE

  • ''Kingfishers, Bee-eaters and Rollers'' by Fry, Fry and Harris, ISBN 0-7136-8028-8