European Roller (Coracias garrulus)

[Donkees]

Coracias garrulus is closely related to C. caudatus ( lilac-breasted roller) and C. abyssinicus (Abyssinian roller). The two recognized subspecies of European roller are: C. g. garrulus Linnaeus, 1758 and C. g. semenowi Loudon & Tschusi, 1902.


Uri Kolker


Pawel Wietecha


Ali Özdinç


Colin Bates

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 and Central Asia and Morocco.

It is a bird of warm, dry, open country with scattered trees, preferring lowland open countryside with patches of oak Quercus forest, mature pine Pinus woodland with heathery clearings, orchards, mixed farmland, river valleys, and plains with scattered thorny or leafy trees. It winters primarily in dry wooded savanna and bushy plains, where it typically nests in tree holes

The European roller is a stocky bird, the size of a jackdaw at 29–32 cm in length with a 52–58 cm wingspan; it is mainly blue with an orange-brown back. Rollers often perch prominently on trees, posts or overhead wires, like giant shrikes, whilst watching for the large insects, small reptiles, rodents and frogs that they eat. The call is a harsh crow-like sound. It gives a raucous series of calls when nervous.