Coracias naevius (Purple roller)
[= Coracias naevia]
Groottroupant [Afrikaans]; Sikambu (generic term for roller)
[Kwangali]; Gatawa (generic name for roller) [Shona]; Vhevhe (generic term for
roller) [Tsonga]; Letlêrêtlêrê, Letlhakêla [Tswana]; Roodkruinscharrelaar
[Dutch]; Rollier varié [French]; Strichelracke [German];
Rolieiro-de-sobrancelhas-brancas [Portuguese]
Life
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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 Purple roller is endemic to Africa, being found from
Senegal and Gambia to Somalia, extending south to southern Africa. It is
widespread but uncommon, living in dry woodland and savanna. It feeds not only
on insects but also scorpions, small reptiles, mice and even young birds.
Courtship is elaborate, with courtship feeding and acrobatic flight displays
commonly recorded. It lays 3-5 eggs, usually a cavity in a (frequently dead)
tree, at least 5 m above ground. It also uses rock crevices and vertical
pipes.
Distribution and habitat
Occurs across sub-Saharan Africa; in southern Africa it is
widespread but uncommon in northern and central Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe,
southern Mozambique and north-eastern South Africa. It generally prefers dry woodland and savanna,
especially with bushwillows (Combretum), Mopane (Colophospermum mopane), Apple-leaf
(Philenoptera), Burkea (Burkea africana),
Zambezi teak (Baikiaea plurijuga) and miombo (Brachystegia).
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Distribution of Purple 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. |
Call
Food
Mainly eats insects, supplemented with other small animals,
doing most of its hunting by sitting and scanning the vegetation. If it spots
prey it dives to the ground and pounces. The following food items
have been recorded in its diet:
- Invertebrates
- Vertebrates
- small reptiles
- mice
- young birds
Breeding
- Monogamous, territorial solitary nester. Courtship is elaborate, with
pairs feeding one another and performing spectacular aerial displays.
- The nest is usually a cavity in a tree, at least
5 m above ground; it may also use a rock crevice or vertical pipe.
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Purple roller at its nest with a chick, Sericea
farm, South Africa. [photo Warwick Tarboton ©] |
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- It lays 2-4 eggs in the period from May-June, peaking from October-April.
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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