🐦

European Roller

Coracias garrulus

Least Concern

Length

31.0 cm

Wingspan

66.0 cm

Weight

130.0 g

Family

Coraciidae

Order

Coraciiformes

About

The European roller gets its name from the spectacular rolling and tumbling aerial displays performed by males during courtship. It is the only roller species in Europe and one of the continent's most colorful birds. Declining across much of its western range due to agricultural intensification and habitat loss.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Body Length	31.0 cm	12.2 in
Wingspan	66.0 cm	26.0 in
Weight	130.0 g	4.59 oz

Identification

Plumage

Turquoise-blue head, breast, and tail. Chestnut-brown back. Vivid ultramarine blue and black wing patches visible in flight.

Bill

Short, stout, dark hooked bill

Habitat & Range

Warm, dry, open country with scattered trees and nest holes. Breeds in tree cavities, earth banks, and nest boxes.

🌲 Forest

Geographic Range

Southern and eastern Europe, Central Asia, and North Africa. Winters in sub-Saharan Africa.

Diet & Feeding

Large insects, especially beetles, grasshoppers, and crickets. Also takes small reptiles, frogs, and scorpions. Hunts from exposed perches.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: CV. Incubation: 17-19 days. Fledging: 25-30 days.

Clutch Size

3-6

Sound

Song

A harsh, grating 'rack-rack' or 'quarrk' in flight. Gives a variety of sharp nasal calls at the nest. Not melodic; primary vocalizations are alarm and contact calls.

Taxonomy

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Coraciiformes (Kingfishers & Rollers)
Family	Coraciidae (Rollers)
Genus	Coracias
Species	Coracias garrulus

Names in Other Languages

Language	Name
German	Blauracke
Spanish	Carraca Europea

Distribution

European Roller has been recorded in 5 countries.

{# Distribution Map — simplified SVG world map with highlighted countries. Expects `country_codes` variable: list of ISO alpha-2 codes (e.g. ["US", "CA", "MX"]). Uses Alpine.js to toggle classes on country paths. #}

Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇦 Ukraine

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the European Roller eat?

Large insects, especially beetles, grasshoppers, and crickets. Also takes small reptiles, frogs, and scorpions. Hunts from exposed perches.

Where does the European Roller live?

Warm, dry, open country with scattered trees and nest holes. Breeds in tree cavities, earth banks, and nest boxes.

Is the European Roller endangered?

The European Roller has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the European Roller nest?

Nest type: CV. Incubation: 17-19 days. Fledging: 25-30 days.

What does the European Roller sound like?

A harsh, grating 'rack-rack' or 'quarrk' in flight. Gives a variety of sharp nasal calls at the nest. Not melodic; primary vocalizations are alarm and contact calls.

How big is the European Roller?

The European Roller has a body length of 31.0 cm, wingspan of 66.0 cm, weight of 130.0 g.

What order and family does the European Roller belong to?

The European Roller (Coracias garrulus) belongs to the order Coraciiformes and the family Coraciidae.