Rollers (Coraciidae)

Abyssinian Roller (Coracias abyssinicus) - HBW 6, p. 372

French: Rollier d’Abyssinie German: Senegalracke Spanish: Carraca Abisinia

Taxonomy: Coracias abyssinica Hermann, 1783, Ethiopia.
Often regarded as forming a superspecies with C. caudatus and C. garrulus, though probably more closely allied to former. May be closely related to C. spatulatus. Species name frequently given as feminine, abyssinica, as in original description, but genus is masculine. Monotypic.

Distribution: Senegal to E Ethiopia, N to Sahara, and S to edge of rainforest zone; occasionally into desert, N to coastal NW Mauritania (Nouadhibou) and NC Sudan (Khartoum); also SW Arabia (has nested at least in S Yemen).