Joe Kahlo
The lilac-breasted roller is one of those birds that has all the colors of spring, with its pastel plumage, it’s easy to see why this is the national bird of Kenya and Botswana.
Native to the African and Arabian Peninsula, it’s not difficult to spot this bright, colorful bird.
Both the male and female of the species are similar in appearance, creamy white faces with dark lines on the eyes.
These colorful spring birds have a harsh and raspy call that is often repeated. The call certainly does not match the elegant look of the bird.
They are usually quiet, although, during the breeding season, they turn extra vocal, especially when their territory is threatened.
The Lilac-breasted rollers don’t migrate although they do tend to move around a lot in order to find the best food sources across the seasons.
You will often find these birds in groups of 1-3, and only in winter the flock gets bigger as small families tend to fly together.
All rollers, are famous for their agile flight techniques and acrobatics.
They are carnivorous and hunt a variety of smaller prey such as lizards, snails, amphibians, insects and even small birds.
