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Blue Bellied Roller


Blue Bellied 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: 2010-01-10
Categories: Birds, Savannah
Camera: Canon EOS 1Ds MkII, Canon 400mm 2.8 IS
Exposure: f/4, 1/160 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Eliz strange, exotic or little known species - 3, West African Wildlife and Environments, TN Favourites [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2010-01-11 8:06
Viewed: 8275
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Taken with my 400mm 2.8 + 1.4 converter and cropped. This is in my opinion, the most beautiful member of the Roller family - though many of you will no doubt disagree. Though fairly common it is less easy to see as it prefers wood and forest habitat rather than the more open savannah of other rollers (you can predict the trees Abyssinian Rollers will be sitting in as you drive along - approximately every 0.75Km)

The Blue-bellied Roller, Coracias cyanogaster is a member of the roller family of birds which breeds across Africa in a narrow belt from Senegal to northeast Zaire. It is resident, apart from some local seasonal movements, in mature moist savannah dominated by Isoberlinia trees.

The Blue-bellied Roller is a large bird, nearly the size of a Jackdaw at 28-30 cm. It has a dark green back, white head, neck and breast, with the rest of the plumage mainly blue. Adults have 6cm tail streamers. Sexes are similar, but the juvenile is a drabber version of the adult.

Blue-bellied Roller is striking in its strong direct flight, with the brilliant blues of the wings contrasting with the dark back and white head, and the tail streamers trailing behind.

This is a common bird of warm open country with some trees. These rollers often perch prominently on trees, posts or overhead wires, like giant shrikes, whilst watching for the grasshoppers and other large insects on which they feed.

The display of this bird is a lapwing-like display, with the twists and turns that give this species its English name. It nests in a hole in a tree cavity.

The call of Blue-bellied Roller is a harsh clicking ga-ga-ga sound.
horias, uleko, ralfsworld, siggi, CeltickRanger, cicindela, nasokoun, roges, JoseMiguel, jaycee, Chiza, Dis. Ac., eng55, xTauruSx, anel, smitha has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2010-01-11 8:11]

Hello James,
Wow, I was just about to turn off the computer as this turned up! What a fabulous close view of this wonderful Roller showing off its wonderful colours and long tail feathers! Beautiful light and a lovely contrasting background too! Well done!
TFS and enjoy Senegal! Cheers, Ulla

  • Great 
  • horias Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 837 W: 58 N: 2084] (11033)
  • [2010-01-11 8:11]

James
What a wonderful bird is this little Coracias cyanogaster!
Colors are fantastic and the sharpness of the details are great!
Horia

Hello James
I like all members in roller family. Nice pose and colours on this one.
Regards
Ralf

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2010-01-11 8:50]

Hello James,
Glorious pose of this Blue-bellied Roller. Excellent colours in beautiful contrasts. Great sharpness and details. I see a little noise in the BG, that's a pity. Very good composition, POV and DOF.
At the end of April we're going for 18 days to Gambia / Senegal.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3097 W: 109 N: 12399] (52850)
  • [2010-01-11 10:30]

Hello James,
Your composition is simple and smart. The bird is lovely and its feathers have beautiful colors. Sharpness, DOF, background and exposure are very good.Congratulations and TFS.
Best regards Siggi

Hi James,
this blue colour is marvelous and you captured this bird in an elegant pose, I like it very much, thanks
Sabine - wishnugaruda

Hi James
A stunning bird well captured. Those blue feathers are something else! The background sets off the subject very nicely.
Kind Regards
Vinny

hello James

excellent close-up photo of the Blue Bellied Roller, fine POV
and appropriate framing, fine focus sharpness and details,
beautiful proud pose of the bird, TFS

Asbed

Hello James!
This is the first time I see this species! Great capture! This bird is so colourful and its colouration is so unique and unusual! So blue species! Really great photo!
All the best from winter Lodz,
Radomir

hello James,
simple scene with beautiful colors and fine details very well composed!
keep photographing! TFS
Nasos

  • Great 
  • roges Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 957 W: 0 N: 1329] (6264)
  • [2010-01-11 13:18]

Hi JAMES,
This splendid bird that propose today. Excellent colors and details, congratulations.
have a pleasant evening,
Adrian

Hi James,
Of course I agree completely, this is a stunning bird and you got his image with beautiful and so many fine details.
I can see you used and pushed all your resources up to the limit, with the lens plus converters, and the outcome really deserves.
Congratulations and thanks so much for share the pic.
JM

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2010-01-11 15:19]

Hi James,

A beautiful capture of a very beautiful bird. He looks so proud posing on the branch. The colors are exquisite - head and body are magnificent. The textures of the white feathers are remarkable. A beautiful and simple vertical composition.

Jane

  • Great 
  • Chiza Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 133 W: 0 N: 474] (5351)
  • [2010-01-11 17:46]

Hola James: UNa gran especie la de su foto, con un encudre de lo mejor, tonos y colores excelentes, además de muy buena información...saludos.

Hello James,

an very good presentation from this bird with good pov and fine colours.
Good to hear from you.

gert

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1256 W: 42 N: 1976] (5892)
  • [2010-01-11 22:17]

Hi James,
Lovely capture.I liked POV,proud pose of bird,blurred BG and composeition a lot.Excellent wor!
Thanks for posting..

Hello James, excellent shot of this beautiful faced:) bird with nice details and composition.
TFS and regards,
Deniz

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 3053 W: 3 N: 8715] (40574)
  • [2010-01-12 1:15]

Hello James,
This is really a beautiful bird, James. And it looks very proud, I would even say almost a little bit arrogant :-). Very well composed and natural colors. I see the picture is very fresh!
Thanks and enjoy your stay
Kind regards
Anne

Hello James,
Excellent capture of a proud looking bird.:)
It is indeed very colourful. Though I have come across quite a number of Rollers, this is the first time I am seeing this beauty. So thank you James for sharing it. The pose you have captured clearly shows us the different hues in its wings, back and tail. Sharp and good details in plumage. The lovely green background provides a good contrast to the Roller.
Thanks and Regards,
Smitha.

amazing roller, TFS Ori

Ciao James, lovely bird in nice pose against a beautiful blurry BG, fantastic colors, fine details and splendid sharpness, I like a lot, ciao Silvio

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