Photo: Saeed Davari / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
European Roller
Coracias garrulus
European Roller (Coracias garrulus) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The European Roller (Coracias garrulus) is a member of the Coraciidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 146 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Coraciiformes
- Family Coraciidae Rollers
- Genus Coracias
- Species garrulus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 146 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Coraciidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The European Roller is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The European Roller is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The European Roller (Coracias garrulus) is a member of the Coraciidae family, within the order Coraciiformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL w, c.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 146 g, with a wing length of about 19.1 cm and a tail of around 12.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 9.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the European Roller?
The European Roller is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 146 g.
Where does the European Roller live?
The European Roller is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL w, c, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the European Roller belong to?
The European Roller (Coracias garrulus) belongs to the Coraciidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the European Roller eat?
The European Roller is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the European Roller migrate?
The European Roller is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the European Roller endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the European Roller make?
1 real field recording of the European 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 European Roller's range?
The European Roller has a mapped global range of about 9.5 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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