Colours of Wildlife - Lilac-Breasted Roller
Created | Updated Nov 24, 2013
Lilac-Breasted Roller
Willem is a wildlife artist based in South Africa. He says "My aim is simply to express the beauty and wonder that is in Nature, and to heighten people's appreciation of plants, animals and the wilderness. Not everything I paint is African! Though I've never been there, I'm also fascinated by Asia and I've done paintings of Asian rhinos and birds as well. I may in future do some of European, Australian and American species too. I'm fascinated by wild things from all over the world! I mainly paint in watercolours. . . but actually many media including 'digital' paintings with the computer!"
I've already brought you the European Roller, which is a visitor here in South Africa – now I bring you a close relative which is a resident! This is the Lilac-breasted Roller, Coracias caudata. It differs from the European Roller in being rather more brightly coloured, having the lilac breast and some orange and green feathers on its head, in addition to blue on its body and wings. The wings especially show vivid blue when it is flying. Another difference is its long, thin extensions to its outer tail feathers. The species name 'caudata' which means 'tailed' refers to this.
Spot the Roller
In South Africa, these rollers are some of the easiest birds to see. Just like the European ones they hunt from high perches. So they will be perched up on the highest twigs of bushes, or on fences or telephone poles. A fun activity while on long drives across the country is counting how many rollers you see! Most of them will be these, but there might be some European and Purple rollers as well. But the fine tail feathers can be seen from a considerable distance, making this one easy to identify. The purple roller is much bigger than the other two, and brownish/purplish in colour rather than blue, and so can also be rather easily identified if seen clearly.
I include for you two paintings this time. Both were painted based on rollers I had photographed myself. The one is a bit more realistic when it comes to light and shadow, while the other shows the coloration more clearly. Both were painted with acrylics.
High Rollers
In its lifestyle this roller is very similar to the European one, so I recommend you read that article if you're interested. It has similar spectacular rolling displays. My father and I, along with some other friends, were privileged to see this when we were visiting a reserve in the Messina area (where we also saw many Sesame-bushes … see today's Phyto-Philes). We were alerted to the presence of the bird by its raucous croaking calls, we looked up, and there, very high in the sky, it was! It first flew up, and then swooped down, wings closed, rolling from side to side, uttering its harsh calls. This is a territorial display that can be seen and heard by other rollers (not to mention bird watchers!) from far away.
Although this roller is resident here in South Africa, it does sometimes move around depending on rainfall. It sometimes disperses after breeding, and there are some migratory populations in east Africa. It occurs from northeastern South Africa through the rest of southern and much of central Africa to east Africa as far as Ethiopia and Somalia.
Like other rollers this is a hole nester. It uses natural holes in trees or excavations by large woodpeckers and barbets. It will also use holes in termite hills, or nest boxes put up by considerate humans. Rollers will clear the holes of all debris, and then put down a pad of grass to lay their two to four eggs on. They are very aggressive and bold in defending their nests, eggs and chicks. The chicks are hatched naked and helpless and the parents bring them food. They are fully feathered by the age of 19 days. They are dull grayish-brown at first, but rapidly gain their adult colours. In this species the sexes look the same. They are monogamous and after pairing up remain together for life.
Lilacbreasted rollers are still widespread and abundant in Africa. They are hurt by cutting down trees, but benefit from fences, posts and telephone poles. They also benefit from bush fires, staying downwind from them to snatch up fleeing critters. This roller is the national bird species of Kenya and Botswana.
Here is a video of a roller supposedly 'belly-dancing' … actually what you see here is a bird perched on a twig that for some reason is swaying, but the roller is employing its ability – which many bird species have – of fixing its head at a position in space irrespective of what its body is doing, so that it can inspect its surroundings without a 'shaky-camera' effect.
