About Coracias cyanogaster Cuvier, 1816
The blue-bellied roller, scientifically named Coracias cyanogaster Cuvier, 1816, is a large bird that is nearly the size of a jackdaw, measuring 28–30 cm (11–12 in) long. It has a very dark brown back, with a buffy or chalky white head, neck, and breast. The rest of its plumage is mainly blue. Adult blue-bellied rollers have 6 cm (2.4 in) long tail streamers. Males and females have similar plumage, while juvenile blue-bellied rollers are a duller, drabber version of adult birds. This species has striking strong, direct flight: the brilliant blue of its wings contrasts against its dark back and cream-colored head, and its tail streamers trail behind during flight. Its call is a harsh clicking ga-ga-ga sound. This is a common species that lives in warm open country with scattered trees. Blue-bellied rollers often perch prominently on trees, posts, or overhead wires, similar to giant shrikes, while they watch for grasshoppers and other large insects that make up their diet. During courtship displays, this roller performs a lapwing-like display, with the twisting and turning movements that give the roller group its English common name. It nests inside holes and cavities in trees.
