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Birds › African savanna › Lilac-breasted Roller

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

Named for the tumbling, rolling dives males perform high in the air during courtship.

Where to see it for real: Perches on bare branches and posts in open African savanna, watching for insects and lizards.

Spot it in the game

Lives in the African savanna habitat (Southern and East Africa, at sunset).

Lilac-breasted Roller, Coracias caudatus
Photo: Daniel S. Katz, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist. Cut out from the original photo.

Lilac-breasted Roller facts

Family
Rollers
Length
15 in (37 cm)
Wingspan
21 in (54 cm)
Weight
3.9 oz (110 g)
Diet
Insects, scorpions, lizards and small snakes, caught on the ground.
Range
Open woodland and savanna of eastern and southern Africa.
Nest
An unlined hole in a tree or termite mound.
Song
Harsh, rasping "rak-rak" calls.
Active
by day
Status
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List: widespread and not at risk.

What the Lilac-breasted Roller sounds like

Recording 1: JMK, CC BY-SA 4.0, original on Wikimedia Commons. Trimmed and cleaned of low background noise.

More: bird songs and calls.

More birds of the African savanna

Superb StarlingSuperb StarlingAfrican savannaLittle Bee-eaterLittle Bee-eaterAfrican savannaSouthern Yellow-billed HornbillSouthern Yellow-billed HornbillAfrican savannaSouthern Masked WeaverSouthern Masked WeaverAfrican savannaHelmeted GuineafowlHelmeted GuineafowlAfrican savannaGray Go-away-birdGray Go-away-birdAfrican savanna

Spot the Lilac-breasted Roller yourself

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