Lilac-breasted Roller

 
Setswana Name:  
Letlêrêtlêrê

 
Scientific Name:
Coracias caudatus
 
 
Beautifully colored, the Lilac breasted roller has a virtual rainbow of feather colours.
The washed green head is large, the neck is short, the greenish yellow legs are rather short and the feet are small. The beak is arched and hooked-tipped. The tail is narrow and of medium length. The shoulder of the wing, outer webs of the flight feathers and the rump are all violet. The base of the primaries and their coverts are pale greenish blue and the outer tail feathers are elongated and blackish. The chin is white, shading to rich lilac of the breast. The underparts are greenish blue. The bill is black and the eyes are brown.The sexes are alike in colouration
 
Rollers get their name from their impressive courtship flight, a fast, shallow dive from considerable elevation with a rolling or fast rocking motion, accompanied by loud raucous calls. Its flight display shows the bird flying upwards 10 metres, and then falling with closed wings, gaining in speed by flapping. Flying very fast, it rolls to right and left four or five times in a couple of seconds, and it sweeps again with closed wings, loosing speed and repeats the roll.
 
Their call is a loud harsh squawk, 'zaaak'. They are partly migratory, but in some areas they are sedentary. They are territorial, also defending temporarily small feeding territories. They drive off many species from near their nest hole, even after breeding.

Reproduction
Lilac-breasted Roller performs a wonderful courtship flight, with fast and shallow dive from very high elevation, with rolling or fast rocking motion. It actually breeds “on the wing”. All rollers appear to be monogamous and highly territorial.
 
Lilac-breasted Roller nests in natural cavities in trees, or in termite hills. It may use woodpecker’s and kingfisher’s holes. The nest is unlined.
Female lays two to four white eggs. Incubation lasts about 22 to 24 days, by both parents, who are extremely aggressive in defence of their nest, taking on raptors and other birds. At nineteen days the chicks are fully feathered and grayish brown.
 
 
Habitat
Lilac Breasted Rollers inhabit acacia country with well spaced trees, rolling bushy game lands, riverside areas and cultivated land, but they do not associate with human habitation.
 
 
Food
The Lilac Breasted Roller feeds on grasshoppers, beetles, occasionally lizards, crabs, and small amphibians. Lilac-breasted Roller perches on dead tree to survey the area, searching for prey. It also preys on animals fleeing from bush fires.
To feed, it swoops down from a high perch close to the prey, and as it eats the insect on the ground, or it returns to its perch to batter it before swallowing it whole.
 

In Western culture, the dove is considered the bird of peace. But in African lore, it is the Lilac-breasted roller. Langazana, the beautiful ‘bird of the sun’. The Lilac-breasted roller is the bird of peace and reconciliation. The Lilac-breasted roller was often sacrificed by kings who were making peace. One of these little birds was taken and its throat was cut with a battle spear, which was thus purified of evil and sanctified with the blood of the ‘bird of the sun.’ The spear was ceremoniously broken by the two kings and buried in a hole and then the langazana, bird was buried on top of this spear and thus peace was made.