Description
African Jewel- Lilac-breasted Roller
15″H x 11″L x 5″W
Edition 48
Of the many birds I studied in Africa, none were as stunning as the Lilac-breasted roller. It is
widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula, preferring open
woodland and savanna; it is largely absent from treeless places. Usually found alone or in pairs, it
perches conspicuously at the tops of trees, poles or other high vantage points from where it can
spot insects, lizards, scorpions, snails, frogs, small birds and rodents moving about at ground
level. Nesting takes place in a natural hole in a tree where a clutch of 2–4 eggs is laid and
incubated by both parents, who are extremely aggressive in defense of their nest, taking on raptors
and other birds. During the breeding season the male will rise to great heights, descending in
swoops and dives, while uttering harsh, discordant cries. The sexes are alike in coloration and they are
an endangered species.
