Photo: Giles Laurent / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Lilac-breasted Roller
Coracias caudatus
Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Africa.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus) is a member of the Coraciidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 110 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 caudatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 110 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Coraciidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Near Threatened
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Lilac-breasted Roller is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Lilac-breasted Roller is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus) is a species of bird in the Coraciidae family, part of the order Coraciiformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF e, se, sc.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 110 g, with a wing length of about 16.1 cm and a tail of around 12.1 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 8.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Lilac-breasted Roller?
The Lilac-breasted Roller is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 110 g.
Where does the Lilac-breasted Roller live?
The Lilac-breasted Roller is found across Africa with a range covering AF e, se, sc, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Lilac-breasted Roller belong to?
The Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus) belongs to the Coraciidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Lilac-breasted Roller eat?
The Lilac-breasted Roller is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Lilac-breasted Roller migrate?
The Lilac-breasted Roller is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Lilac-breasted 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 Lilac-breasted Roller make?
1 real field recording of the Lilac-breasted Roller can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Lilac-breasted Roller's range?
The Lilac-breasted Roller has a mapped global range of about 8.8 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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