Coracias garrulus (European
roller)
Europese troupant [Afrikaans]; iFefe (also applied to
Lilac-breasted roller) [Zulu]; Letlereretlere-petaputsoa [South Sotho]; Gatawa
(generic name for roller) [Shona]; Vhevhe (generic term for roller) [Tsonga];
Letlêrêtlêrê, Letlhakêla [Tswana]; Scharrelaar [Dutch]; Rollier d'Europe
[French]; Blauracke [German]; Rolieiro-europeu [Portuguese]
Life
> Eukaryotes >
Opisthokonta
> Metazoa (animals) >
Bilateria >
Deuterostomia > Chordata >
Craniata > Vertebrata (vertebrates) > Gnathostomata (jawed
vertebrates) > Teleostomi (teleost fish) > Osteichthyes (bony fish) > Class:
Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned
fish) > Stegocephalia (terrestrial
vertebrates) > Tetrapoda
(four-legged vertebrates) > Reptiliomorpha > Amniota >
Reptilia (reptiles) >
Romeriida > Diapsida > Archosauromorpha > Archosauria >
Dinosauria
(dinosaurs) > Saurischia > Theropoda (bipedal predatory dinosaurs) >
Coelurosauria > Maniraptora > Aves
(birds) > Order: Coraciiformes >
Family: Coraciidae
The European roller a non-breeding visitor, with breeding
grounds in Morocco, Spain, Poland, Siberia and India, with its non-breeding
range entirely in sub-Saharan Africa. In southern Africa, it has a scattered
distribution range, preferring savanna, such as broad-leaved and Acacia
woodland. It eats mainly flying insects, such as termite alates, beetles, and
locusts, rarely eating small vertebrates. It hunts from perches, waiting until
prey gets close, before pouncing on it.
Distribution and habitat
Breeds in Morocco, Spain, Poland, Siberia and India,
heading south to sub-Saharan Africa in the non-breeding season. In southern Africa
it is locally common in northern and central Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe,
Mozambique and north-eastern and central South Africa. It generally prefers savanna, such as broad-leaved and Acacia woodland.
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Distribution of European roller in southern
Africa, based on statistical smoothing of the records from first SA Bird
Atlas Project (©
Animal Demography unit, University of
Cape Town; smoothing by Birgit Erni and Francesca Little). Colours range
from dark blue (most common) through to yellow (least common).
See here for the latest distribution
from the SABAP2. |
Food
Mainly eats flying insects, such as
termite alates, beetles and locusts, rarely eating small vertebrates. It
typically hunts
from a perch, waiting until prey gets close before pouncing on it. The
following species have been recorded in its diet:
- Insects
- Small vertebrates
Threats
Not threatened, in fact common in many areas of southern
Africa.
References
-
Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ and Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Roberts
- Birds of southern Africa, VIIth ed. The Trustees of the John Voelcker
Bird Book Fund, Cape Town.
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