Blue-bellied Roller

Coracias cyanogaster

The Blue-bellied Roller, "Coracias cyanogaster" is a member of the roller family of birds which breeds across Africa in a narrow belt from Senegal to northeast Zaire. It is resident, apart from some local seasonal movements, in mature moist savannah dominated by "Isoberlinia" trees.
Rollier à ventre bleu Coracias cyanogaster - Blue-bellied Roller Blue-bellied Roller,Coracias cyanogaster,Côte d'Ivoire,Geotagged,Spring

Appearance

The Blue-bellied Roller is a large bird, nearly the size of a Jackdaw at 28-30 cm. It has a dark green back, white head, neck and breast, with the rest of the plumage mainly blue. Adults have 6cm tail streamers. Sexes are similar, but the juvenile is a drabber version of the adult.

Blue-bellied Roller is striking in its strong direct flight, with the brilliant blues of the wings contrasting with the dark back and white head, and the tail streamers trailing behind.
Rollier à ventre bleu Coracias cyanogaster Blue-bellied Roller Blue-bellied Roller,Coracias cyanogaster,Côte d'Ivoire,Geotagged,Spring

Behavior

The display of this bird is a lapwing-like display, with the twists and turns that give this species its English name. It nests in a hole in a tree cavity.

The call of Blue-bellied Roller is a harsh clicking "ga-ga-ga" sound.
Blue-bellied Roller portrait Beekse bergen,Blue-bellied Roller,Coracias cyanogaster

Habitat

This is a common bird of warm open country with some trees. These rollers often perch prominently on trees, posts or overhead wires, like giant shrikes, whilst watching for the grasshoppers and other large insects on which they feed.

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Status: Least concern
EX EW CR EN VU NT LC
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionChordata
ClassAves
OrderCoraciiformes
FamilyCoraciidae
GenusCoracias
SpeciesC. cyanogaster
Photographed in
Côte d'Ivoire
Netherlands