Scientific name: Coracias garrulus Linnaeus, 1758
Bird group: Rollers
Field characters. 31 cm. Easily recognisable. Head, neck and underparts blue with greenish wash; mantle, back, scapulars and tertials light maroon; central tail feathers olive-blue with pale blue tip, which becomes larger towards lateral edge of tail; lesser coverts and rump bright violet-blue; primary coverts and base of primaries pale blue; rest of primaries violet-black; median and greater coverts greenish blue. Underwing and under primary coverts greenish blue, panel at base of underside of tail feathers, and underside of primaries and secondaries bright violet-blue; flight-feathers have violet-black tips. Vivid and variegated colour makes confusion at perch and on wing unlikely. Non-breeding adult similar, but entire plumage becomes less bright due to green-brownish suffusion all over. Juvenile similar to non-breeding adult, but even duller, with buffish face and light rufous-brown throat and chest.
Voice. Distinctly crow-like, although usually silent; flocks which are about to migrate may be noisy. Calls most often heard are a dry, harsh "chack" (may be doubled) and a rasping "kraaaah", reminiscent of Jay.
Distribution. Common breeding bird in south-western part of region; rare breeding bird elsewhere.
Habitat. Most often found in open oak or coniferous woods; occasionally in suburbs with plenty of older trees. Builds nest in cavity in tree (e.g. holes made by woodpeckers) or in fissures in rocks when no suitable trees available.
Food. Predominantly terrestrial and slow-flying insects such as beetles; other insects and arthropods are less important. Small vertebrates rarely taken.