Lilac breasted roller

Description:

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).

Habitat:

Status and biology: Common resident in savanna. Perches conspicuously, often along telephone lines. (Gewone Troupant)

Notes:

Voice: Harsh ‘chak', often repeated when agitated; flight call ‘grak grak grarrak'.