Abyssinian Roller Coracias abyssinicus

Abyssinian Roller Coracias abyssinicus

Abyssinian Roller, Ghana, June 2011 - click for larger image

Ghana and Ethiopia
June 2011

The Abyssinian Roller is distributed in Africa south of the Sahara from Senegal to eastern Ethiopia and across the Red Sea into south-west Saudi Arabia. Some birds move a short distance south into woodland during the non-breeding season. For a distribution map see Birdlife International.

It is found in various dry, wooded habitats where it eats large insects such as crickets, beetles and grasshoppers. From a perch, it looks for its prey and then glides down to the ground to pounce on it.

It is fairly similar in colouring to a European Roller C. garrulus but has very long outer tail feathers. Photo 3 shows a juvenile

Its call is a harsh scold.

Abyssinian Roller, Lake Awassa, Ethiopia, January 2016 - click for larger image

Abyssinian Roller, Awash Falls, Ethiopia, January 2016 - click for larger image

Abyssinian Roller, Ghibe Gorge, Ethiopia, January 2016 - click for larger image

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