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Abyssinian Roller


Abyssinian Roller
Photo Information
Copyright: James Parker (Jamesp) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1369 W: 9 N: 6334] (18906)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2010-01-01
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 1Ds MkII, Canon 400mm 2.8 IS
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/1000 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): CeltickRanger's favorite Bird photos -6-, West African Wildlife and Environments [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2010-01-06 2:30
Viewed: 7116
Points: 48
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I took this shot about 20 minutes drive from the elephant shot - but in another country. The two parksa are separated by a smallish river and form one ecological unit.

The Abyssinian Roller, Coracias abyssinica, is a member of the roller family of birds which breeds across tropical Africa in a belt south of the Sahara, known as the Sahel. It is resident in the southern part of its range, but northern breeding populations are short-distance migrants, moving further south after the wet season.

Arli National Park often Arly is a national park located in southeastern Burkina Faso. It adjoins Benin's Pendjari National Park in the South and the Singou Reserve in the West.

The Arli National Park is set in 760 square kilometres with a wide variety of habitats, ranging from the gallery forests of the Arli and Pendjari rivers to savanna woodland and sandstone hills of the Gobnangou chain. It is home to around 200 elephants, 200 hippos and 100 lion. There are also buffalo, baboons, red and green monkeys, warthog, boar and various antelope such as western hartebeest and roan antelope. There are also bushbucks, duikers and waterbuck



The Abyssinian Roller is a large bird, nearly the size of a Jackdaw at 28-30 cm. It has a warm brown back, with the rest of the plumage mainly blue. Adults have long (12cm) tail streamers. Sexes are similar, but the juvenile is a drabber version of the adult.

Abyssinian Roller is striking in its strong direct flight, with the brilliant blues of the wings contrasting with the brown back and the long tail streamers trailing behind.

This is a common bird of warm open country with some trees, and has adapted to farmland and human habitation. These rollers often perch prominently on trees, posts or overhead wires, like giant shrikes, whilst watching for the large insects and rodents on which they feed. They will dash into the smoke of a forest fire for disturbed invertebrates. They are fearless, and will dive and roll at humans and other intruders.

The display of this bird is a lapwing-like display, with the twists and turns that give this group its English name. It nests in a scantily lined hole in a tree or building, and lays 3-6 eggs.

The call of Abyssinian Roller is a harsh crow-like gak sound, or a screeched aaaargh.
cicindela, KOMSIS, maurydv, Argus, nagraj, eng55, uleko, Miss_Piggy, ramthakur, nglen, siggi, CeltickRanger, boreocypriensis, jaycee, Chiza, tuslaw, nasokoun, Mamagolo2, rousettus has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello James!
It is nice to see your new picture, taken just a few dys ago! Burkina Faso is a place I know only from movies, literature and... tiger beetles studied some time ago :>
Very nice bird species presented in top quality :> This Abyssinian Roller look like posing especialy for you.
All the best in new year!
Radomir

  • Great 
  • roges Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 957 W: 0 N: 1329] (6264)
  • [2010-01-06 2:36]

Hello James,
Beautiful bird with some details and superb colors.
Excellent player, my congratulations.
Have a nice day,
Adrian

  • Great 
  • KOMSIS Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 820 W: 0 N: 2419] (10674)
  • [2010-01-06 2:52]

Hi James,
Abyssinia Roles, fantastic colors, cute bird ...
Excellent composition and sharp details.
Best wishes,
Seyfi

Hello James,
a very beautiful picture of this colourful bird taken from an excellent POV in a great pose, very good sharpness and splendid bright colours, i like this nice composition with a natural perch.
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2010-01-06 3:15]

Hi James,a wonderful portrait,the colors are fantastics like the sharpness and the composition,a very interesting and professional work.My best compliments,have a nice day,LUCIANO

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2010-01-06 3:41]

Hello James,
A great portrait of the Abyssinian Roller taken from a fine POV to an excellent technical standard.
For me this is a nice reminder to our trip to Gambia, but that was during the analogue photography era!
Thanks and all the best,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 967 W: 26 N: 3888] (16941)
  • [2010-01-06 3:42]

Hello James
Wonderful bird and great details
Regards
Razvan

wow, striking bird and striking pic, TFS Ori

  • Great 
  • nagraj Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1618 W: 106 N: 3208] (15166)
  • [2010-01-06 4:33]

Hi,
Magnificent roller, what color, fantastic. Good composition and against plain background it standsout and that streamers, wow! tfs.
nagraj.v

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1256 W: 42 N: 1976] (5892)
  • [2010-01-06 6:02]

Hi James,
Excellent captrure of this Roller.I liked vivid colors,eye contact,details and composition a lot.Very well done!
Thanks for posting..

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2010-01-06 6:07]

Hello James,
You seem to be in Paradise at the moment while we're freezing up here!! I gather the weather in England is just as aweful as here so you're lucky to be away! This is a fabulous capture of this stunning bird, the colour is out of this world!! I like its pose too and the fine sharp details. Great POV too and well composed.
TFS and have fun! Ulla

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3089 W: 230 N: 6774] (23770)
  • [2010-01-06 6:43]

Happy New Year, James!
What an amazing tail on this roller.
He looks like he is posing for you, showing off his beautiful colors and handsome profile.
Great shot and TFS. : )

Hallo James
Due to minor surgery done to my foot, my time is restricted in front of the computer; I do however want to flatter you for fine camerawork and the little Abyssinian Roller for beauty and especially the long tailpiece. It is really an image to show off. Best regards.
Anna

First of all, wish you a Happy New Year, James!
This Roller is a sleek bird with long plumage and nice colours.
Looking up, you have managed a wonderful shot of it.
Burkina Faso must be small country in Africa. Hope you are enjoying your visit there.
Regard.
Ram

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2010-01-06 8:47]

Hello James,
In 2008 I was in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) but I didn't see this bird. And I've missed something!
Fantastic photo! in splendid colours, great sharpness, details and a very good POV and composition. The light is so beautiful. Great!
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2883 W: 30 N: 9683] (36145)
  • [2010-01-06 11:28]

Hi James. This is a bird i would love to see one day. You have taken this with fine detail and bright colours. I like the pose on the top of the tree. All with interesting notes .TFS.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3097 W: 109 N: 12399] (52850)
  • [2010-01-06 12:12]

Hello James.
What an amazing bird, the colours are just incredible. A great shot, with really good composition. Well done!
Best regards Siggi

hello James

this is avery beautiful photo of the Abyssinian Roller,
fine POV that in French we say en contre-plongé,
i love these POVs where it show how higher is perched the bird,
due to his very long tail appropriate framing, fine focus sharpness
and details, the catch-light on the darker eye is renderfing
the photo and the bird more beautiful, TFS

Asbed

Hi Bro James,

Stunning capture of this colourful beauty at top of a tree.
Excellent POV, your composition have worked very well with the background.
TFS and have a nice night and happy time in Africa!
Cheers,

Bayram

Stunning capture and the colors are absolutely beautiful. VWD

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2010-01-06 16:06]

Hi James,

A beautiful shot of this fantastic Abyssinian Roller. I don't think I have ever seen a bird with this coloring before. A wonderful pose showing him off perfectly. The face, eye, feathers and amazing long tail are marvelous. Colors, details, setting and composition could not be better.

Jane

  • Great 
  • Chiza Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 133 W: 0 N: 474] (5351)
  • [2010-01-06 20:07]

Hola James: Una excelente toma de una especie que no conocía; además de una muy buena información...saludos.

  • Great 
  • tuslaw Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2754 W: 282 N: 4931] (19883)
  • [2010-01-06 20:23]

Hello James,
I must say, what an impressive tail this guy sports. Wonderful detail and gorgeous colors shown in this photo. Love the composition you chose and the exposure is right on!!
Ron

hello James,
very beautiful composition on a tree, the colors of the Abyssinian Roller fascinates and their output is very good, it's a fine photo with interesting notes!
keep photographing! TFS
Nasos

Hello James
The shot is from Burkina Faso, in this time. New year started from Benin with nice advantures. I fallow your trips pleasurely.
We have two species of Rollers, but this is different with long tail. You nicely captured it on the top of tree. Sharp focus, POV, BG and coloration great. nicely composed and noted with good information. thanks for sharing, best wishes
Ahmet

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