South African Birdlife | The European Roller |

The European Roller (Coracias garrulus) is on of four South African species in the genus Coracias (a name that refers to the raucous calls that are similar to those of crows).

The name ‘roller’ comes from the brilliant courtship displays where the males will fly up high before stalling and diving downwards with their wings tucked in close to the body before opening the wings up and rocking from side to side to show the brilliant blue colours on the underside of the wings.

European Rollers hunt mainly from perches above the ground from which they dive down and pounce on invertebrate prey species on the ground. Rollers can also be seen hunting for insects in the air, especially when there are bush fires that force insects out of the grass and tree layers.

These birds provide great photographic opportunities whilst perched on branches right next to the road! The long pointy wings and relatively short tails of all roller species reflect perfect adaptations to buoyant flight and manoeuverable aerial feeding.

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