Editing Abyssinian roller

{{Short description|Species of bird}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Abyssinian roller
| image = Abyssinian roller (Coracias abyssinicus).jpg
| image_caption = In Senegal
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{cite iucn |title=''Coracias abyssinicus'' |author=BirdLife International |author-link=BirdLife International |date=2016 |page=e.T22682865A92966179 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22682865A92966179.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
| genus = Coracias
| species = abyssinicus
| authority = [[Johann Hermann|Hermann]], 1783
| synonyms = * ''Coracias abyssinica''
}}

The '''Abyssinian roller''' ('''''Coracias abyssinicus'''''), or '''Senegal roller''', is a member of the [[Coraciidae|roller]] family of [[bird]]s which breeds across tropical Africa in a belt south of the [[Sahara]], known as the [[Sahel]]. It is resident in the southern part of its range, but northern breeding populations are short-distance [[bird migration|migrants]], moving further south after the wet season.<ref name=HBWA/>

==Taxonomy==
{{Phylogeny/Coracias}}

==Description==
The Abyssinian roller is a large bird, nearly the size of a [[jackdaw]] at {{cvt|28|–|30|cm}}. It has a warm brown back, with the rest of the plumage mainly blue. Adults have {{cvt|12|cm}} long tail streamers. Sexes are similar, but the juvenile is a drabber version of the adult. Abyssinian roller is striking in its strong direct flight, with the brilliant blues of the wings contrasting with the brown back and the long tail streamers trailing behind. The call of the Abyssinian roller is a harsh [[crow]]-like ''gak'' sound, or a screeched ''aaaargh''.<ref name=HBWA/><ref name=Fry>{{cite book|author1=Fry, C. H. |author2=Fry, K. |name-list-style=amp |title=Kingfishers, Bee-eaters and Rollers |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U_XUBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA279 |year=2010 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-4081-3525-9 }}</ref>

==Distribution and habitat==
The Abyssinian roller is native to tropical Africa. Its range extends from southern Mauritania and Senegal in the west and to Ethiopia,<ref name="ALN2019">{{cite book |date=2019 |editor1=Nyssen J. |editor2=Jacob, M. |editor3=Frankl, A. |place=Cham |publisher=SpringerNature |isbn=978-3-030-04954-6 |last1=Aerts |first1=R. |last2=Lerouge |first2=F. |last3=November |first3=E. |title=Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains |chapter=Birds of Forests and Open Woodlands in the Highlands of Dogu'a Tembien |series=GeoGuide |name-list-style=amp |pages=261–277 |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_17 |s2cid=199095607 |chapter-url=https://lirias.kuleuven.be/handle/123456789/639010}}</ref> Somalia and northern Kenya in the east. It also occurs in south-western Saudi Arabia and western Yemen. This is a common bird of warm open country with some trees, and has adapted to farmland and human habitation.<ref name=iucn />

==Behaviour and ecology==
Abyssinian rollers often perch prominently on trees, posts or overhead wires, like giant [[shrike]]s, whilst watching for the large insects and small rodents on which they feed. They will dash into the smoke of a forest fire for disturbed invertebrates. They are fearless, and will dive and roll at humans and other intruders. The display of this bird is a [[northern lapwing|lapwing]]-like display, with the twists and turns that give this group its English name. It nests in a scantily lined hole in a tree or building, and lays three to six eggs.<ref name=HBWA>{{cite book |title=Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive |publisher=Lynx Edicions |place=Barcelona |editor1=Del Hoyo, J. |editor2=Elliott, A. |editor3=Sargatal, J. |editor4=Christie, D. A. |editor5=De Juana, E. |chapter=Abyssinian Roller (''Coracias abyssinicus'') |author=Fry, H. |author2=Kirwan, G.M. |year=2016 |url=http://www.hbw.com/node/55858 |access-date=19 October 2016}}</ref>

==Status==
The population trend for the Abyssinian roller is thought to be upward, as it exploits the opportunities provided by modern agricultural practices and urbanization. It has an extensive range, and the [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] has rated its conservation status as being of "[[Least-concern species|least concern]]".<ref name=iucn />

== References ==
{{Commons category}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q961342}}

[[Category:Coracias|Abyssinian roller]]
[[Category:Birds of East Africa]]
[[Category:Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa]]
[[Category:Birds described in 1783|Abyssinian roller]]