Uploaded January 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The European roller (Coracias garrulus) is the only member of the roller family of birds to breed in Europe. Its overall range extends into the Middle East, Central Asia and Morocco
The European roller is found in a wide variety of habitats, avoiding only treeless plains. It winters primarily in dry wooded savanna and bushy plains, where it typically nests in tree holes
KINGDOM
Animalia
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Aves
SUBCLASS
Neornithes
INFRACLASS
Neognathae
SUPERORDER
Neoaves
ORDER
Coraciiformes
FAMILY
Coraciidae
GENUS
Coracias
SPECIES
Coracias garrulus
European rollers are medium-sized birds known for their aerial acrobatics during courtship or territorial flights. They have brightly colored plumage and a hooked bill. European rollers are striking in their strong direct flight, with the brilliant blue contrasting with black flight feathers. Males and females are similar, but the juvenile is a drabber version of the adult.
European rollers breed in Europe. Their overall range extends into the Middle East, Central Asia, and Morocco. These birds are long-distance migrants, wintering in Africa south of the Sahara in two distinct regions, from Senegal east to Cameroon and from Ethiopia west to Congo and south to South Africa. Some populations migrate to Africa through India. European rollers are birds of warm, dry, open country with scattered trees, preferring lowlands. Oak and pine woodlands with open areas are prime breeding habitat, but farms, orchards, and similar areas with mixed vegetation are also used. In Africa, they occur in a wide range of dry, open land with trees. Rollers winter primarily in dry, wooded savanna and bushy plains.
European rollers are generally solitary birds. They hunt by day in a sit-and-wait manner. They often perch prominently on trees, posts or overhead wires, whilst watching for the potential prey that they eat. The call of these birds is a harsh crow-like sound and they give a raucous series of calls when nervous.European rollers are carnivores. Their diet includes large insects, small reptiles, rodents, and even frogs. The nestlings mostly eat grasshoppers and bush crickets.European rollers are monogamous and form pairs. They nest in an unlined tree or cliff hole and lay up to 6 eggs from May to June. The incubation period lasts for 17-19 days and is performed by the female. The chicks are altricial; they hatch naked and blind, but quickly develop. They start to fly after 25 to 30 days but still depend on their parents for about 3 weeks more.
#birds #europeanroller #rollerbird
The European roller (Coracias garrulus) is the only member of the roller family of birds to breed in Europe. Its overall range extends into the Middle East, Central Asia and Morocco
The European roller is found in a wide variety of habitats, avoiding only treeless plains. It winters primarily in dry wooded savanna and bushy plains, where it typically nests in tree holes
KINGDOM
Animalia
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Aves
SUBCLASS
Neornithes
INFRACLASS
Neognathae
SUPERORDER
Neoaves
ORDER
Coraciiformes
FAMILY
Coraciidae
GENUS
Coracias
SPECIES
Coracias garrulus
European rollers are medium-sized birds known for their aerial acrobatics during courtship or territorial flights. They have brightly colored plumage and a hooked bill. European rollers are striking in their strong direct flight, with the brilliant blue contrasting with black flight feathers. Males and females are similar, but the juvenile is a drabber version of the adult.
European rollers breed in Europe. Their overall range extends into the Middle East, Central Asia, and Morocco. These birds are long-distance migrants, wintering in Africa south of the Sahara in two distinct regions, from Senegal east to Cameroon and from Ethiopia west to Congo and south to South Africa. Some populations migrate to Africa through India. European rollers are birds of warm, dry, open country with scattered trees, preferring lowlands. Oak and pine woodlands with open areas are prime breeding habitat, but farms, orchards, and similar areas with mixed vegetation are also used. In Africa, they occur in a wide range of dry, open land with trees. Rollers winter primarily in dry, wooded savanna and bushy plains.
European rollers are generally solitary birds. They hunt by day in a sit-and-wait manner. They often perch prominently on trees, posts or overhead wires, whilst watching for the potential prey that they eat. The call of these birds is a harsh crow-like sound and they give a raucous series of calls when nervous.European rollers are carnivores. Their diet includes large insects, small reptiles, rodents, and even frogs. The nestlings mostly eat grasshoppers and bush crickets.European rollers are monogamous and form pairs. They nest in an unlined tree or cliff hole and lay up to 6 eggs from May to June. The incubation period lasts for 17-19 days and is performed by the female. The chicks are altricial; they hatch naked and blind, but quickly develop. They start to fly after 25 to 30 days but still depend on their parents for about 3 weeks more.
#birds #europeanroller #rollerbird
