Rollers

The Coraciidae family, known as rollers for their aerial displays during courtship, resemble crows in size and share a vibrant plumage akin to kingfishers, predominantly in blues and browns. Rollers, mostly insectivorous, with some species catching prey mid-flight and others diving from perches, are native to the warmer regions of the Old World, although fossils have been found in North America dating back to the Eocene. They are monogamous, nesting in tree holes or masonry without any lining, laying up to 6 eggs depending on latitude, with white eggs hatching in 17-20 days and chicks fledging after about a month. The roller family, consisting of the two genera Coracias and Eurystomus, was introduced by Rafinesque in 1815 and is part of the diverse order Coraciiformes. Rollers are predominantly found in Africa and display migratory patterns in species like the European roller. They exhibit aggressive territorial behavior and their foraging techniques vary between waiting and watching from a perch and hunting on the wing. Rollers consume a variety of invertebrates and also small vertebrates like frogs and lizards, sometimes even targeting prey avoided by other birds.