CORACIIFORMES of Africa
The Coraciiformes are very colorful birds. They reside mainly in the Old World, but there are also some in the New World. Some include the hornbills and trogons in this order, but that will not be done
here.
Rollers
Order Coraciiformes Family Coraciidae
The rollers get their name from the aerial acrobatics some of these birds perform during courtship or territorial flights. They reside in warm climates of the Old World. Rollers resemble crows in size and build, and share the colourful appearance of kingfishers and bee-eaters, blues and pinkish or cinnamon browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but not the outer one. They are mainly insect eaters. Rollers nest in an unlined hole in a tree or in masonry. [abstracted from Wikipedia]
Genus Coracias
Roller, Blue-bellied Coracias cyanogaster Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Charlie Westerinen - Reid Zoo, Tuscon, Arizona 2) Dick Daniels - Jacksonville Zoo in Florida
3) Dick - San Diego Zoo
Roller, European Coracias garrulus Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1, 2) Arno Meintjes 3) Christian Svane
Roller, Lilac-breasted Coracias caudatus Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Tanzania 2, 3) Dick - Tanzania 4) Dick - Kruger National Park, South Africa
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Roller, Racket-tailed Coracias spatulatus Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - San Diego Zoo 2) Dick - Jacksonville Zoo - Florida
3) Dick - San Diego Zoo 4) Dick - Jacksonville Zoo
Roller, Rufous-crowned formerly Purple Roller Coracias naevia Found: Africa
Photographed/Drawn by: 1 Frank Vassen 2) Claude Gibney Finch-Davies - the Transvaal Museum, Pretoria
3) Yoky - Serengeti National Park, Tanzania 4) Renier Maritz - Kruger National Park, South Africa 5) Arno Meintjes
Genus Brachypteracias - 1 species
Ground roller, Short-legged Brachypteracias leptosomus Endemic to Madagascar
Photographed by: 1, 2) Frank Vassen - Madagascar
Genus Atelornis
Ground-roller, Pitta-like Atelornis pittoides Endemic to Madagascar
Photographed by Frank Vassen - Madagascar
Genus Upupa - 1 species
Hoopoe Upupa epops Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
The African Hoopoe is now considered to be a subspecies, U. e. africana, not a separated species.
Genus Phoeniculus
Woodhoopoe, Green aka Green Wood Hoopee Phoeniculus purpureus Found: Africa
Photographed by: Dick Daniels - North Carolina Zoo
All photos on this site are available for general use. Please credit the photographer. Some images have additional constraints such as no commercial use or no modifications. Click the photo credit link for details. Dick Daniels, webmaster.