by Lauren Berkley, of UVM
People travel from all over the world to see the magnificent, charismatic wildlife of Africa. We have been very fortunate in our time here in Botswana to see such species as lions, leopards, African wild dogs, elephants, and giraffes. There are also several fascinating bird species here such as the emblematic African sacred ibis and the world’s largest flying bird, the Kori bustard. However, there is one very common bird that fascinates me despite how often I’ve seen it: a curious little passerine called the Lilac-breasted roller (Coracias caudatus).
A Kori bustard walking through the grass. Photo by Emma Buckardt.
Lilac-breasted rollers use a wide variety of habitats across southern and eastern Africa, ranging as far north as Ethiopia. They can commonly be seen on dead trees and telephone wires by the road and attract insects with their bright colors. They have a turquoise crown, a lilac breast, and blue wings that they show off as they swoop in front of moving cars chasing the insects the traffic stirs up. This is their primary hunting strategy. After catching insects in flight they will either return to a roadside perch or feed on the ground. Though they prefer to eat these insects, they also enjoy munching on amphibians, reptiles, crabs, rodents, and even smaller birds.
A Lilac-breasted roller perched on the ground after just having eaten an insect. Photo by Emma Buckardt.
Don’t be fooled by their charming looks, however, this bird is bad ass. Lilac-breasted rollers get their name from their impressive courtship display in which the male and female fall through the sky from a considerable height while calling and “rolling” over one another while in flight. They then mate on the wing and are partners for life. They nest in tree holes, preferably by rivers. Often Lilac-breasted rollers use natural tree holes for their nests, but sometimes they steal them from woodpeckers or kingfishers. Both parents care for the nest until the eggs hatch for just under one month. How egalitarian!
A Lilac-breasted roller perched in a dead tree by the road. Photo by Emma Buckardt.
For such a beautiful bird, they also have some rather unpleasant qualities. For example, their call is a very rough “ca-ca-ca” that sounds similar to a rusty zipper going up and down. Moreover, after catching a rodent or reptile, they will brutally batter it against a tree until it suffers a violent death before eating it.
I love the Lilac-breasted roller for being simultaneously beautiful, repulsive, and ferocious. These birds are evidence that you should always take a closer look at the animals you see every day. You just might find that they are pretty special.