Bird Album
European Roller
Coracias garrulus Linnaeus, 1758
29–32 cmLength146 gWeight
It is a stout, mainly blue bird with an orange-brown back, often perching high like a large shrike.
Busiest months: May · Most records: South Africa, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates
How to identify
Field marks
- Mainly blue overall
- Back orange-brown
- Bright blue contrasts with blue-black flight feather tips in flight
Male, female and young
Sexes similar; juvenile is a duller version of adult.
Voice
Harsh, crow-like calls; gives a series of harsh calls when alarmed.
Where and when it's recorded
European Roller has been recorded at 832 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 82 countries and regions.
Records by month Northern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Wamm FarmsUnited Arab Emirates764 records
- Aras Kuş Halkalama İstasyonuTürkiye666 records
- Tsor'a FieldsIsrael380 records
More places
- Tal Chhapar SanctuaryIndia341 records
- Sakhalvasho Raptor WatchpointGeorgia315 records
- Tarangire NPTanzania302 records
- RivaTürkiye297 records
- Abu Dhabi Golf and Equestrian ClubUnited Arab Emirates286 records
- Tablillas del Záncara – Junta de los RíosSpain259 records
- Mushrif Palace GardensUnited Arab Emirates257 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The European roller (Coracias garrulus) is the only member of the roller family Coraciidae breeding in Europe. Its range extends into the Maghreb, West Asia and Central Asia. It winters in southern Africa, primarily in dry wooded savanna and bushy plains.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the European Roller?
The European Roller is about 29–32 cm long and weighs around 146 g.
Where does the European Roller live?
Its breeding range: Palearctic: western, central. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Tanzania and United Arab Emirates.
When is the best time to see the European Roller?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in May (Northern Hemisphere).
Is the European Roller endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the European Roller as Least Concern.
What does the European Roller eat?
Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.
What family is the European Roller in?
It belongs to the family Rollers (Coraciidae), order Coraciiformes.
At a glance
- Length
- 29–32 cm
- Weight
- 146 g
- Habitat
- Woodland
- Diet
- Insects & other invertebrates
- Lifestyle
- Perches in trees
- Migration
- Migratory
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 191 mm
- Tail
- 123 mm
- Bill
- 40 mm
- Tarsus
- 24 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Palearctic: western, central
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Family
- Rollers Coraciidae
- Genus
- Coracias
Other birds in the genus Coracias
Purple RollerCoracias naevius
Indian RollerCoracias benghalensis
Indochinese RollerCoracias affinis
Purple-winged RollerCoracias temminckii
Racket-tailed RollerCoracias spatulatus
Lilac-breasted RollerCoracias caudatus
Abyssinian RollerCoracias abyssinicus
Blue-bellied RollerCoracias cyanogaster
Blue-throated RollerEurystomus gularis
Broad-billed RollerEurystomus glaucurus
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Рамзан. ↗
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