Genus Coracias

 

Abyssinian Roller - The Abyssinian Roller is a large bird, nearly the size of a Jackdaw at 28-30 cm. 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.

Indian Roller - The Indian Roller , also called the Blue Jay in former times is a member of the roller family of birds. They are found in southern Asia from Iraq to Thailand and are best known for the aerobatic displays of the male during the breeding season. They are very commonly seen perched along roadside trees and wires and are commonly seen in open grassland and scrub forest habitats. It is not migratory, but undertakes some seasonal movements. Several states in India have chosen it as their symbol.

Lilacbreasted Roller - The Lilac-breasted Roller, Coracias caudatus, is a member of the roller family of birds. It is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula, preferring open woodland and savanna; it is largely absent from treeless places. Usually found alone or in pairs, it perches conspicuously at the tops of trees, poles or other high vantage points from where it can spot insects, lizards, scorpions, snails, small birds and rodents moving about at ground level. Nesting takes place in a natural hole in a tree where a clutch of 2–4 eggs is laid, and incubated by both parents, who are extremely aggressive in defence of their nest, taking on raptors and other birds. During the breeding season the male will rise to great heights, descending in swoops and dives, while uttering harsh, discordant cries. The sexes are alike in colouration. Juveniles do not have the long tail feathers.

Blue-bellied Roller - 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.

Roller - There are two subspecies: the nominate garrulus, which breeds from in north Africa from Morocco east to Tunisia, southwest and south-central Europe and Asia Minor east through northwest Iran to southwest Siberia; and semenowi, which breeds in Iraq and Iran east to Kashmir and north to Turkmenistan, south Kazakhstan and northwest China . The European Roller is a long-distance migrant, wintering in southern Africa in two distinct regions, from Senegal east to Cameroon and from Ethiopia west to Congo and south to South Africa.

 

Coracias naevia - This species seems to be an opportunist breeder, possibly linked to rains, as its breeding season varies from place to place. It nests in natural hollows in trees or uses old woodpecker holes, usually laying 3 white eggs. The young are fed by both parents.

Sulawesi Roller - Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

Order : Coraciiformes
Family : Coraciidae
Genus : Coracias