Purple Roller

The Purple Roller, also known as the Rufous-crowned Roller, is a medium-sized bird that graces the skies of sub-Saharan Africa. It is the largest member of the roller family, with a length ranging from 35 to 40 cm and an average weight of 168 grams. Its plumage may seem underwhelming from afar, appearing as a dull brownish hue with a distinctive white stripe above the eye and a white patch on the nape. The tail is dark, and depending on the region, the crown can vary from rufous in the north to olive-green in the south. The underparts are a purplish-pink, streaked with white, and the wings are long and rounded, while the tail is squarely cut.

Identification Tips

When identifying the Purple Roller, look for its sizeable stature and the white over-eye stripe. The white nape patch is also a key feature, along with the purplish-pink underparts. The bird's square-cut tail and the grating "ka" or "gaa" calls it emits are also indicative of its presence.

Habitat

The Purple Roller favors the arid thornveld, where it can often be seen perched atop thorn trees or poles, surveying its surroundings.

Distribution

This species is widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, with two recognized subspecies: the Lilac-throated Roller (C. n. naevius) found from Senegal and Gambia to Somalia and northern Tanzania, and C. n. mosambicus, which inhabits areas from Angola and southern Democratic Republic of Congo to Namibia and northern South Africa.

Behaviour

The Purple Roller is a territorial bird, especially during the breeding season when it will actively fend off other rollers, small hawks, and crows. It exhibits a unique rocking motion during its display flights, which involve raucous calling and a plummeting roll from the treetops towards the ground.

Breeding

Breeding seems to be opportunistic, potentially linked to rainfall, as the season varies by location. The Purple Roller nests in natural tree hollows, old woodpecker holes, cliffs, riverbanks, and even man-made structures, laying three white eggs. Both parents share the duties of feeding and incubating the young.

Diet and Feeding

Its diet consists of insects, spiders, scorpions, and small lizards, which it hunts from its high perches, swooping down to the ground to capture its prey.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List classifies the Purple Roller as Least Concern, indicating that, for now, this species does not face any immediate threat of extinction.