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Coracias caudatus
29 cm (37 cm incl. streamers); 90–135 g Ad. distinctive with pointed tail streamers, turquoise crown, nape and mantle, and lilac breast. Streamers lost during winter moult, but crown and breast distinctive. Juv. duller; lacks elongated tail feathers; best told from juv. European Roller by smaller head and bill and blue (not black) flight feathers. Told from juv. Racket-tailed Roller by blue (not brown) median wing coverts and uniformly dark blue flight feathers (lacking pale blue bases).
Status and biology: Common resident in savanna. Perches conspicuously, often along telephone lines. (Gewone Troupant)
Voice: Harsh ‘chak', often repeated when agitated; flight call ‘grak grak grarrak'.
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