Rufous-headed Ground Roller
Atelornis crossleyi
The Rufous-headed Ground Roller (Atelornis crossleyi) is a rare ground roller found only in Madagascar, weighing about 79 g. The rufous-headed ground roller is a species of bird in the ground roller family, Brachypteraciidae.
About the Rufous-headed Ground Roller
The rufous-headed ground roller is a species of bird in the ground roller family, Brachypteraciidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. There are currently five known species of ground rollers. Four of these species live in the eastern and central highland humid forests. Unlike the four other species, the fifth species lives in the dry southwestern spiny bushes of Madagascar. The Atelornis crossleyi species of the ground rollers lives with most of its family in humid forests. The International Union for Conservation of Nature considers the bird to be near-threatened because, although it is present in a number of protected areas, it is hunted for food and the forests in which it lives are…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The sexes are similar in this distinctively-coloured bird about 25 cm (10 in) long. The head and breast are reddish-brown, the upper parts olive green and the underparts buff with darker markings. There is a narrow blackish collar with white vertical streaks on the upper breast and an iridescent light blue patch on the carpal wing joint. The tail is short and the beak and legs are grey.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: September, October, November, December, with peak activity in November. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Rufous-headed Ground Roller?
- The sexes are similar in this distinctively-coloured bird about 25 cm (10 in) long. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Rufous-headed Ground Roller?
- The Rufous-headed Ground Roller is a medium sized bird weighing about 79 g.
- Where can you see a Rufous-headed Ground Roller?
- The Rufous-headed Ground Roller is endemic to Madagascar, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Rufous-headed Ground Roller?
- The Rufous-headed Ground Roller is most easily confused with the Pitta-like Ground Roller.
- Is the Rufous-headed Ground Roller endangered?
- The Rufous-headed Ground Roller is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
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