Monday 28 June 2021

European Roller (Coracias garrulus)

OTHER NAMES: Roller
Latin Etymology: Coracias (a bird name by Aristotle; possibly choughs) garrulus ("chattering")
Adult European Roller (subspecies C. g. garrulus) at Icklington, Suffolk - June 2021

Featured Subspecies: Western European Roller (Coracias garrulus garrulus)
Weight: g/kg  /  Length: 29-32cm  /  Wingspan: 52-58cm
NO UK STATUS IUCN Red List: Least Concern

In Europe, there is nothing that can be mistaken for a Roller when you can see the colours - no other species is so decidedly just blue. They are Summer migrant to the Mediterranean where they hunt mostly insects and other invertebrates from high perches such as exposed branches and wires. They are the only Roller species found in Europe.

Related Species:
Order: Coraciiformes
FAMILY: Coraciidae
GENUS: Coracias
SUBSPECIES: C. g. garrulus, C. g. semenowi

 - Sighting Locations -
UNITED KINGDOM - An infrequent vagrant
 - A vagrant seen at Icklingham in June 2021.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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