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A photo of a Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus)
Lilac-breasted Roller

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

The lilac-breasted roller (Coracias caudatus) is an African bird of the roller family, Coraciidae. It is widely distributed in Southern and Eastern Africa, and is a vagrant to the southern Arabian Peninsula. It prefers open woodland and savanna, and it is for the most part absent from treeless places. Usually found alone or in pairs, it perches at the tops of trees, poles or other high vantage points from where it can spot insects, amphibians and small birds moving about on the ground. Nesting takes place in a natural hole in a tree where a clutch of 2–4 eggs are 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 a fair height (69 to 144 metres), descending in swoops and dives, while uttering harsh, discordant cries. The sexes are different in coloration, and juveniles lack the long tail streamers of adults. This species is unofficially considered the national bird of Kenya. Alternative names for the lilac-breasted roller include the fork-tailed roller, lilac-throated roller (also used for a subspecies of purple roller) and Mosilikatze's roller.
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Lilac-breasted Rollers on Birda

Photos

Sightings

A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Conraad Loubser
Conraad Loubser
Thursday 21 Sep 2023 - 12:23pm
South Africa
A photo of a Lilac-breasted Roller photographed in  South Africa
Profile picture for Sandra Delport
Sandra Delport
Wednesday 20 Sep 2023 - 3:30pm
South Africa
A map showing the sighting location
🦢
Brian Dann
Wednesday 20 Sep 2023 - 10:46am
South Africa
A map showing the sighting location
🦉
Blanche Price
Wednesday 20 Sep 2023 - 7:03am
South Africa
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