Roller

Coracias garrulus

Introduction

This colourful bird of open habitats is a rare visitor to Britain & Ireland, with most records coming from late spring and early summer.

Key Stats

Status

Very rare

Weight

140g

Seasonality

<1%

BTO Records

663 records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

No current data

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Norfolk, 1664

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

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This species is a rare vagrant and was recorded during Bird Atlas 2007–11 as shown on the map.

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

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This vagrant is too rarely reported to map distribution change.

Seasonality

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Roller is a rare vagrant with sporadic records in spring, summer and autumn.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about Roller movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

The Eurasian-African Migration Atlas shows movements of individual birds ringed or recovered in Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Roller, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Roller

Classification and Codes

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Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Coraciidae
Scientific name: Coracias garrulus
Authority: Linnaeus, 1758

BTO 5-letter code: ROLLE
Euring code number: 8410

Alternate species names

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Catalan: gaig blau comú
Czech: mandelík hajní
Danish: Ellekrage
Dutch: Scharrelaar
Estonian: siniraag
Finnish: sininärhi
French: Rollier d’Europe
Gaelic: Cuairsgean

German: Blauracke
Hungarian: szalakóta
Icelandic: Bláhrani
Irish: Rollóir
Italian: Ghiandaia marina
Latvian: zala varna, zila varna
Lithuanian: europinis žalvarnis
Norwegian: Blåråke

Polish: kraska (zwyczajna)
Portuguese: rolieiro
Slovak: krakla belasá
Slovenian: zlatovranka
Spanish: Carraca europea
Swedish: blåkråka
Welsh: Rholydd

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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