Racket tailed roller

Introduction: Racket-tailed roller birds (Coracisa spatulatus) prefer a habitat of mature, undisturbed deciduous woodland with a clear understorey, preferably in regions with mopane trees. They are difficult to observe because of their habit of perching immediately under the tree canopy.

Distribution: From Rundu across the Caprivi.

Diet: Will sit and wait from a perch before swooping for prey on the ground such as beetles, grasshoppers, fly maggots, lizards and pygmy mice.

Description: Spatulatus is the Greek word for spatulate, which is like a blade or spoon and refers to the tail. They are often confused with the similarly sized lilac-breasted roller bird which has pointed not spatulated tail streamers.

Breeding: Nests consist of unlined holes in tree trunks or branches and 2 or 3 eggs are laid as early as August.

Size: 28 to 30cm. Tail streamers project a further 80mm.

Weight: 100g.