Rufous-headed ground roller
Rufous-headed ground roller | |
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Ranomafana National Park | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Coraciiformes |
Family: | Brachypteraciidae |
Genus: | Atelornis |
Species: | A. crossleyi
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Binomial name | |
Atelornis crossleyi Sharpe, 1875
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The rufous-headed ground roller (Atelornis crossleyi) is a species of
Description
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.[4][1]
Distribution and habitat
The rufous-headed ground roller is endemic to eastern Madagascar where it is found in montane evergreen rain forests at altitudes between 800 and 2,000 m (2,600 and 6,600 ft), but is most common between 1,250 and 1,750 m (4,100 and 5,700 ft). Although present in most mountain regions, it is absent from Montagne d'Ambre in the far north of the island.[5]
Ecology
The rufous-headed ground roller is terrestrial and feeds amongst dense vegetation on the ground, taking a range of prey, particularly insects such as ants, beetles and their larvae, caterpillars, butterflies and cockroaches.[4] It nests in a burrow up to 50 cm (20 in) deep in an earth bank. Breeding probably takes place in December and January, and the clutch size is normally two eggs.[1]
References
- ^ . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ISSN 0004-8038.
- ISBN 978-0-8018-9533-3.
- ^ a b Langrand, O; Kirwan, G. M. (2018). del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi; Christie, David A; de Juana, Eduardo (eds.). "Rufous-headed Ground-roller (Atelornis crossleyi)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
- ISBN 978-0-7136-6532-1.
External links
Media related to Atelornis crossleyi at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Atelornis crossleyi at Wikispecies