Purple-winged Roller

Coracias temminckii

Rollers · Coraciiformes · Rare

The Purple-winged Roller (Coracias temminckii) is a rare roller found only in Indonesia, weighing about 154 g. The purple-winged roller is a species of bird in the family Coraciidae.

Least ConcernRareEndemicEats invertebrateswoodlandcavity nest154 g

About the Purple-winged Roller

The purple-winged roller is a species of bird in the family Coraciidae. It is endemic to the Sulawesi subregion in Indonesia and can be found on the islands of Sulawesi, Bangka, Lembeh, Manterawu, Muna and Butung.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The purple-winged roller is 30–34 cm (12–13 in) in length, similar in size to the Eurasian jay. The cap and upper-tail coverts are bright azure blue, the back is dark-olive, with the rest of the plumage mainly dark blue. The large bill is black. The sexes are alike. Juveniles are similar to the adults but with duller plumage.

Where it lives

When to see it

Best months: May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in July. It is a variable species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Purple-winged Roller?
The purple-winged roller is 30–34 cm (12–13 in) in length, similar in size to the Eurasian jay. Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Purple-winged Roller?
The Purple-winged Roller is a medium sized bird weighing about 154 g.
Where can you see a Purple-winged Roller?
The Purple-winged Roller is endemic to Indonesia, which is the only country where it occurs.
What birds look similar to a Purple-winged Roller?
The Purple-winged Roller is most easily confused with the Racket-tailed Roller, the Blue-bellied Roller and the Abyssinian Roller.
Is the Purple-winged Roller endangered?
The Purple-winged Roller is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Purple-winged Roller for real

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