Photo: gisela gerson lohman-braun / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Kingfishers & Rollers

Blue-bellied Roller

Coracias cyanogaster

Blue-bellied Roller (Coracias cyanogaster) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Africa.

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The Blue-bellied Roller (Coracias cyanogaster) is a member of the Coraciidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 142 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Coraciiformes
Family Coraciidae Rollers
Genus Coracias
Species cyanogaster

Where it lives

Senegal to Guinea, east to southern South Sudan and northern DR Congo

Africa

Quick facts

Weight: 142 g
Diet: Invertebrate-eaters
Family: Coraciidae
Order: Coraciiformes
Habitat: Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Near Threatened

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Blue-bellied 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 Blue-bellied Roller is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Blue-bellied Roller (Coracias cyanogaster) belongs to the Coraciidae family of the order Coraciiformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Senegal to Guinea, e to s South Sudan and n DR Congo.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 142 g, with a wing length of about 17.4 cm and a tail of around 9.8 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2 million km².

Songs & calls

Blue-bellied Roller — Call

Recorded by Peter Boesman Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Blue-bellied Roller?

The Blue-bellied Roller is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 142 g.

Where does the Blue-bellied Roller live?

The Blue-bellied Roller is found across Africa with a range covering AF Senegal to Guinea, e to s South Sudan and n DR Congo, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Blue-bellied Roller belong to?

The Blue-bellied Roller (Coracias cyanogaster) belongs to the Coraciidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.

What does the Blue-bellied Roller eat?

The Blue-bellied Roller is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Blue-bellied Roller migrate?

The Blue-bellied Roller is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Blue-bellied 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 Blue-bellied Roller make?

1 real field recording of the Blue-bellied 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 Blue-bellied Roller's range?

The Blue-bellied Roller has a mapped global range of about 2 million km².