The purple roller, or rufous-crowned roller, is a medium-sized bird widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. Compared with other rollers its colours are rather dull and its voice harsh and grating.
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs widely across dry savannas, thornveld, and open woodland from the Sahel and East Africa to southern Africa. It favors edges of open habitats with scattered trees and avoids dense forest and very wet zones. Common along roadsides and in agricultural mosaics where elevated perches are available. Often persists in semi-arid regions and around waterholes and riverine strips.
Altitude Range
0–2000 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The purple roller is the largest African roller, often seen perched conspicuously on treetops, poles, or wires while scanning for prey. Despite its name, its colors are subtler than those of other rollers, but it shows striking blue panels in flight. It performs dramatic aerial display dives and rolls during courtship and territorial interactions. Nests are typically in natural cavities, often old barbet or woodpecker holes.
Purple roller, or rufous-crowned roller
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
strong flier with shallow undulations; performs steep display dives and rolls
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs perched high to watch for prey. Pairs maintain territories and display with noisy aerial chases and rolling dives. Nests in natural cavities in trees or old barbet/woodpecker holes; 2–4 eggs are typical, with both adults involved in care.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
The voice is harsh and grating, often a repeated rasping kraak or graak delivered from a perch or during display flights. Calls carry far over open country and may intensify during the breeding season.
Plumage
Coarsely streaked whitish underparts on buff to rufous ground, with brownish upperparts washed purplish on the mantle and wing coverts. In flight, bright blue patches on the wings and a contrasting pale tail base become evident. Feathers appear slightly glossy on the wings with heavier texture on the body.
Diet
Feeds mainly on large insects such as beetles, locusts, grasshoppers, and termites, but also takes scorpions, centipedes, and spiders. Will seize small vertebrates including lizards, small snakes, frogs, and occasionally small rodents or nestling birds. Typically hunts by sit-and-wait from an exposed perch, dropping to the ground to pounce or sallying after flying insects.
Preferred Environment
Forages in open savanna, thorn scrub, and along road verges where perches and open ground are abundant. Often hunts near bushfires, grazing livestock, or ploughed fields that flush prey.
