Photo: J.M.Garg / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Indian Roller
Coracias benghalensis
Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Europe & Northern Asia.
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The Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis) is a member of the Coraciidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 157 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Coraciiformes
- Family Coraciidae Rollers
- Genus Coracias
- Species benghalensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 157 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Coraciidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Indian Roller is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Indian Roller is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis) is a species of bird in the Coraciidae family, part of the order Coraciiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL e Arabia to India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 157 g, with a wing length of about 18 cm and a tail of around 12.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 3.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Indian Roller?
The Indian Roller is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 157 g.
Where does the Indian Roller live?
The Indian Roller is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL e Arabia to India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Indian Roller belong to?
The Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis) belongs to the Coraciidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Indian Roller eat?
The Indian Roller is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Indian Roller migrate?
The Indian Roller is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Indian Roller endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Indian Roller make?
1 real field recording of the Indian Roller — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Indian Roller's range?
The Indian Roller has a mapped global range of about 3.9 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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