Copyright: monacoeye • Gambia, Feb 2013 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Abyssinian Roller
Latin: Coracias abyssinicus
Other: Rufous Crowned Roller • Rollier d'Abyssinie (Fr), Savannblåkråka (Sv)
Family: Coraciidae • Rollers
Range: Sahel belt south of Sahara, to Senegal, Gambia etc
Similar:

The Abyssinian Roller was also seen fairly regularly in the Gambia in February.

Quite a spectacular bird, with long tail streamers, pale blue underneath, rufous back and dark eye stripe. Often seen perched in burnt fields.

Below, a beautiful Abyssinian Roller in the Gambia.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Gambia, Feb 2013 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Blue Bellied Roller
Latin: Coracias cyanogaster
Other: Rufous Crowned Roller • Rollier varié (Fr), Strichelracke (De)
Family: Coraciidae • Rollers
Range: Sub-saharan Africa, incl Senegal, Gambia to DR Congo
Similar:

The Blue-bellied Roller was often seen perched prominently in Gambia in February, in the dry season. Further below, one also visited the water pots at Marakissa Lodge.

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Copyright: TC - monacoeye • Ngorongoro • All rights reserved

Bird name: Lilac Breasted Roller
Latin: Coracias caudatus
Other:
Family: Coraciidae • Rollers
Range: Sub-saharan Africa, Arabian Peninsular
Similar:

Great photos from Tom, Faye and André of the colourful Lilac-breasted Roller in Tanzania

There are 11 species of Roller in the Old World, six of them now illustrated on this site!


Below: Faye L sent in this pic of a Lilac-breasted Roller in Tanzania

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Copyright: monacoeye • Gambia, Feb 2013 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Purple Roller
Latin: Coracias naevia
Other: Rufous Crowned Roller • Rollier varié (Fr), Strichelracke (De)
Family: Coraciidae • Rollers
Range: Sub-saharan Africa, incl Gambia to Namibia to Tanzania
Similar:

The Purple Roller (also called Rufous-crowned Roller) lives in sub-Saharan Africa, including the Gambia, where the picture above was taken.

The Purple Roller has a streaked chest and face, whitish supercilium, mostly purple with blue shoulders sometimes visible.

Further below, a photos sent in by André, taken near Lake Nakuru in Kenya.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • All rights reserved

Bird name: European Roller
Latin: Coracias garrulus
Other: Rollier d'Europe (Fr), Rolieiro-europeu (Pt), Carraca europea (Es), Blauracke (De), Ghiandaia marina (It), 蓝胸佛法僧 (Ch), Сизоворонка (Ru), Gökkuzgun (Tu), Kraska zwyczajna (Po)
Family: Coraciidae • Rollers
Range: Breeds SW SC Europe eg Romania; Iran, Iraq to Russia, NW China. Winters Africa, Senegal to S Africa.
Similar:

The European Roller is the only Roller to live in Europe. An attractive mid-sized bird in the same order as the kingfishers and hoopoes. Often seen perched on high snags or swooping for dragonflies, small frogs etc, in the Danube Delta.

Pale blue underside with dark blue primaries, rufous back, some white around bill.

Below, European Roller in flight, Danube Delta, May 2009
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Copyright: monacoeye • Gambia, Feb 2013 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Broad Billed Roller
Latin: Eurystomus glaucurus
Other: Rolle Violet (Fr), Zimtroller (De), Gulnäbbad blåkråka (Sv)
Family: Coraciidae • Rollers
Range: Tropical Africa and Madagascar, incl Gambia
Similar:

I saw Broad-billed Rollers frequently in the Gambia in February, both perched and catching insects. But usually a little too far for a good photo.

The adult Broad-billed Roller has a purple-rufous chest and belly, and pale blue vent and tail underside. Yellow bill, brown upper side, dark blue primaries. While on the juvenile (photo further below) the pale blue reaches up to the chest.More photos...

090 Coraciidae • Rollers - IOC 2.5 2010

Coracias naevius - Purple Roller - Africa Widespread - see name on link
Coracias benghalensis - Indian Roller - E Iraq through Southeast Asia
Coracias temminckii - Purple-winged Roller - Sulawesi
Coracias spatulatus - Racket-tailed Roller - SE, SC Africa
Coracias caudatus - Lilac-breasted Roller - E, SE, SC Africa
Coracias abyssinicus - Abyssinian Roller - NE, C, W Africa
Coracias garrulus - European Roller - W, C Europe, Africa
Coracias cyanogaster - Blue-bellied Roller - C, W Africa

Eurystomus gularis - Blue-throated Roller - C, W Africa
Eurystomus glaucurus - Broad-billed Roller - Widespread Africa
Eurystomus orientalis - Oriental Dollarbird - E Asia & Southeast Asia to E Australia
Eurystomus azureus - Azure Dollarbird - N Moluccas