Roller
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[Photo] English: Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudata) photographed in Botswana. Fran??ais : Un rollier ?? longs brins (Coracias caudata) photographi?? au Botswana. Date November 24, 2005. Author David Meeker (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Dfmeeker)

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Coraciidae
Genera: Coracias, Eurystomus

The Rollers are an Old World family of near passerine birds. They resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters. They share the colourful appearance of those groups, blues and browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but not the outer one.

These are insect eaters, usually catching their prey in the air. They often perch prominently whilst hunting, like giant shrikes. The group gets its name from the aerial acrobatics some of these birds perform.

These are birds of warm climates. They nest in an unlined tree-hole, and lay 2-4 eggs.

The eleven species are:

Genus Coracias
European Roller Coracias garrulus
Abyssinian Roller Coracias abyssinica
Lilac-breasted Roller Coracias caudata
Racquet-tailed Roller Coracias spatulata
Rufous-crowned Roller Coracias noevia
Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis
Temminck's Roller Coracias temminckii
Blue-bellied Roller Coracias cyanogaster

Genus Eurystomus
Broad-billed Roller Eurystomus glaucurus
Blue-throated Roller Eurystomus gularis
Azure Roller Eurystomus azureus
Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller

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