Blue-bellied Roller

Blue-bellied Rollers are very striking blue, teal, and buff birds that live in the forested areas of western and central Africa. They are social birds that live in small groups, and they feed primarily on small reptiles and invertebrates. Hunting is done by sitting high up in a tree and then dive bombing the prey.

The species is named for their courtship ritual. The male and female birds perform rolling flights while calling out to each other. The birds are believed to be mostly monogamous, though some males will mate with more than one female. 2-3 eggs are laid at a time, usually in a tree hole, and the female does most of the incubating. During this time the birds are incredibly territorial and will attack other birds that come anywhere near the nest!

Blue-bellied Rollers are not in any current danger. They have a large range, are abundant within it, and show no major signs of population decline.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Western and Central Africa
Size : Length up to 1ft (30cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Coraciiformes
Family : Coraciidae -- Genus : Coracias -- Species : C. cyanogaster