European Roller

The European Roller is a bird about the size of a crow, easy to recognise by its bright turquoise-blue feathers and chestnut-coloured back. When it flies, its wings show bright blue patches that stand out against the black flight feathers. The bird is named after its impressive tumbling flight displays during courtship, where it rolls and twists through the air while calling loudly. This bird visits southern and eastern Europe in the summer and can be found as far as western Asia. In winter, it moves to sub-Saharan Africa. It used to be rare in Britain, but there have been a few more sightings in recent years, usually during spring and autumn when it is migrating. European Rollers prefer warm, open countryside with scattered trees and posts where they can hunt. They sit in plain view while looking for large insects, lizards, and small rodents, then swoop down to catch their prey. They make their nests in holes dug into earth banks, old trees, or buildings.