Cinnamon roller

Cinnamon roller
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Coraciidae
Genus: Eurystomus
Species: E. glaucurus
Binomial name
Eurystomus glaucurus
(Statius Muller, 1776)

The cinnamon roller (Eurystomus glaucurus), also known as the broad-billed roller, is a member of the roller family of birds which breeds across tropical Africa and Madagascar in all but the driest regions. It is a wet season breeder, which migrates from the northern and southern areas of its range towards the moister equatorial belt in the dry season.

The cinnamon roller is 29–30 cm in length. It has a warm back and head, lilac foreneck and breast, with the rest of the plumage mainly brown. The broad bill is bright yellow. Sexes are similar, but the juvenile is a drabber version of the adult, with a pale breast.

Cinnamon roller is striking in its strong direct flight, with the brilliant blues of the wings and tail contrasting with the brown back.

This is a species of open woodland with some tall trees, preferably near water. These rollers often perch prominently on trees, posts or overhead wires, like giant shrikes. They are inactive for most of the day, apart from chasing intruders, but in late afternoon they hunt for the swarming ants and termites on which they feed, sometimes in groups of 100 or more rollers. They drink like swallows, dipping their bills into water in flight.

This bird nests in an unlined hole in a tree cavity, laying 2-3 eggs.

The call of cinnamon roller is a snarling k-k-k-k-k-r-r-r-r-r sound.

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This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, August 16, 2014. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.