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14

European Roller (Coracias garrulus) Alternate name(s): "Eurasian Roller", "Roller" German name(s): "Blauracke", "Mandelkrähe" Size: 29-32 cm; wing span 52-58 cm Weight: 125-160 g

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description European Rollers are relatively small rollers. Apart from some buff to creamy feathers on lores and chin, their large head, neck and front are all turquoise, with the head and neck a brighter hue than the chest, belly and vent. Also the frontal part of the wings is turquoise, with a blue shoulder patch. The back is rufous to brown, while the rump is turquoise and the uppertail is dark-grey. In flight one can see the black-tipped flight feathers and blue to turquoise upperwing coverts. The irises are brown. The long, strong and slightly hooked bill is dark-grey, with a brownish-grey base. The legs and feet are also brownish-grey.

Taxonomy, classification See European Roller at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the European Roller is available HERE . There are two races of European Rollers, both of which are strongly migratory. Both races spend the winters in sub-Saharan Africa. Nominate race "garrulus" breeds around the western Mediterranean, in parts of south-eastern Europe, in Asia Minor and north-western Iran. They migrate to an area of Africa from Senegal in the West to Cameroon in the East. Race "semenowi" breeds in Iraq and the rest of Iran, and eastwards from there into parts of central Asia, up to North-west China. This race spends the winters in the area from Congo in the West to Ethiopia in the East and southwards from there to South Africa. Recent tracking research suggests parallel migration, with birds breeding in the western part of their range also preferring winter grounds in western Africa, while eastern breeders migrate to eastern Africa. In Europe only European Rollers of nominate race "garrulus" are found. They breed around the western Mediterranean, from the north-western African coastal fringe via southern Spain and the Cote d'Azure and the major Mediterranean islands to parts of Italy. From Friuli north-eastwards their breeding range extends into parts of the Balkans and the Danube river valley and on into mid-latitude eastern Europe. European Rollers have a preference for semi-arid environments, usually relatively open country with scattered trees or shrubs, with abundant large insects, such as e.g. grasshoppers or centipedes. They will nest either in tree hollows or in nest tunnels, e.g. in undercut creek banks or wadis.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "garrulus" D. Wilczynska reports that European Rollers, nominate race "garrulus", were seen on the banks of the river Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, in the summers of 2014, 2015 and 2017. No photos were taken at the time; the birds shown here were seen in Georgia, on the southern fringes of the Caucasus. All sighting and photographic information presented on this page has kindly been contributed by D. Wilczynska. Race "semenowi" European Rollers, race "semenowi", were seen by us in Oman.

Photos

Race "garrulus"

This race is also called the "Western European Roller".

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a European Roller (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Near-frontal view of a European Roller calling a warning (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Lateral view of an adult European Roller (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a European Roller (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a European Roller perched on a shrub (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Dorsal view of a European Roller in flight (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a fledgling European Roller looking at the observer (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Lateral view of a fledgling European Roller (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Adult European Roller, left, luring a fledgling out of the nest with the promise of food (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Adult European Roller, left, with a fledgling that has just left the nest (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a fledgling European Roller that has just left the nest (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Race "semenowi"

This race is also called the "Eastern European Roller" or the "Kashmir Roller".

Photos of European Rollers, race "semenowi", were taken by us in Oman.

Breeding information

Breeding season: May - July

Eggs: 4 - 5

Incubation period: 18 - 19 days

Fledging age: 28 - 29 days

Nest building: N/A

Incubation: Female & male

Dependent care: Female & male

During and shortly after egg-laying the female is the main incubator; later the male takes over as primary incubator.

Nest

Type: Tree hollow, tunnel, crevace

Material: N/A

Height above ground: 1 - ? m

European Rollers "recycle" tree hollow or cliff tunnel nests dug by other bird species. They do not line their nests, but will clean out old litter if necessary.

Fledgling European Roller looking out of its nest tunnel (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)

Eggs

Size: 36 x 28 mm

Colour: White

Shape: Tapered oval

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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