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Cuckoo Roller (Leptosomus discolor)
Meet one unusual bird of many in Madagascar: the Cuckoo roller. It it endemic to Madagascar and surrounding islands. Most noteable about this bird is its unusual large head and the metallic green look of its back feathers.
On a technical note, I'm glad I always shoot in RAW, because this bird was fully in the shade, and only in RAW could I recover some visible detail.
The Cuckoo Roller or Courol is the only bird in the family Leptosomatidae, which is usually considered to be within the order Coraciiformes, which also includes the kingfishers, bee-eaters and rollers. However, the position of this family is not very clear. Morphological evidence may suggest a placement within or near to Falconiformes. In the rather comprehensive DNA study by Hackett ''et al.'' this is one of only two birds – besides the Hoatzin – of which the position is not clear, although.. more
