The Abyssinian roller (''Coracias abyssinicus''), or Senegal roller, is a member of the

roller Roller may refer to: Birds *Roller, a bird of the family Coraciidae * Roller (pigeon), a domesticated breed or variety of pigeon Devices * Roller (agricultural tool), a non-powered tool for flattening ground * Road roller, a vehicle for compa ...

family of birds which breeds across tropical Africa in a belt south of the

Sahara , photo = Sahara real color.jpg , photo_caption = The Sahara taken by Apollo 17 astronauts, 1972 , map = , map_image = , location = , country = , country1 = , ...

, known as the

Sahel The Sahel (; ar, ساحل ' , "coast, shore") is a region in North Africa. It is defined as the ecoclimatic and biogeographic realm of transition between the Sahara to the north and the Sudanian savanna to the south. Having a hot semi-arid c ...

. It is resident in the southern part of its range, but northern breeding populations are short-distance

migrants Migrant may refer to: Human migration *Human migration *Emigration, leaving one's resident country with the intent to settle elsewhere *Immigration, movement into a country with the intent to settle * Economic migrant, someone who emigrates from o ...

, moving further south after the wet season.

Description

The Abyssinian roller is a large bird, nearly the size of a jackdaw at . It has a warm brown back, with the rest of the plumage mainly blue. Adults have long tail streamers. Sexes are similar, but the juvenile is a drabber version of the adult. Abyssinian roller is striking in its strong direct flight, with the brilliant blues of the wings contrasting with the brown back and the long tail streamers trailing behind. The call of the Abyssinian roller is a harsh crow-like ''gak'' sound, or a screeched ''aaaargh''.

Distribution and habitat

The Abyssinian roller is native to tropical Africa. Its range extends from southern Mauritania and Senegal in the west and to Ethiopia, Somalia and northern Kenya in the east. It also occurs in south-western Saudi Arabia and western Yemen. This is a common bird of warm open country with some trees, and has adapted to farmland and human habitation.

Behaviour and ecology

Abyssinian rollers often perch prominently on trees, posts or overhead wires, like giant

shrike Shrikes () are passerine birds of the family Laniidae. The family is composed of 34 species in four genera. The family name, and that of the largest genus, ''Lanius'', is derived from the Latin word for "butcher", and some shrikes are also know ...

s, whilst watching for the large insects and small rodents on which they feed. They will dash into the smoke of a forest fire for disturbed invertebrates. They are fearless, and will dive and roll at humans and other intruders. The display of this bird is a lapwing-like display, with the twists and turns that give this group its English name. It nests in a scantily lined hole in a tree or building, and lays three to six eggs.

Status

The population trend for the Abyssinian roller is thought to be upward, as it exploits the opportunities provided by modern agricultural practices and urbanization. It has an extensive range, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of " least concern".

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q961342

Abyssinian roller The Abyssinian roller (''Coracias abyssinicus''), or Senegal roller, is a member of the roller family of birds which breeds across tropical Africa in a belt south of the Sahara, known as the Sahel. It is resident in the southern part of its ra ...

Birds of East Africa Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa