Rollers (Coraciidae)
Racquet-tailed Roller (Coracias spatulatus) - HBW 6, p. 372
French: Rollier à raquettes
German: Spatelracke
Spanish: Carraca de Raquetas
Other common names: Weigall’s Roller (weigalli)
Taxonomy: Coracias spatulatus Trimen, 1880, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
Affinities uncertain; possibly closer to C. abyssinicus than to C. caudatus. Status of race weigalli disputed; has been thought to be merely half-moulted immature of present species, but other authors regard it as a valid, geographically distinct taxon; the two races evidently hybridize over c. 200-km-wide area from S Tanzania through Malawi to C Mozambique. Species name frequently given as feminine, spatulata, but genus is masculine. Two subspecies currently recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- spatulatus Trimen, 1880 - W Angola E to W Tanzania and Mozambique (S of R Zambezi).
- weigalli Dresser, 1890 - S Tanzania and N Mozambique (N of R Zambezi).
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A bird perched, preening Locality Bronx Zoo, New York City, New York, USA (United States) (Monotypic species)
Josep del Hoyo 24 June 2005 5 years ago 30 sec 3.9 -
A pair perched and viewed independently Locality Mana Pools National Park, Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe (ssp spatulatus)
Greg Baker 12 September 1999 13 weeks ago 45 sec 3.8 -
A bird drinking and flying away Locality Bronx Zoo, New York City, New York, USA (United States) (Monotypic species)
Josep del Hoyo 29 June 2005 5 years ago 17 sec 3.4 -
A bird on a branch, preening Locality Shamvura Camp, Kavango Region, Namibia (Monotypic species)
Ian Fulton 25 October 2004 5 years ago 31 sec 2.7
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A bird perched high in a tree
Locality Shamvura Camp, Kavango Region, Namibia (ssp spatulatus)
Ian Fulton 26 October 2004 2 years ago 3 -
Bird perched
Locality San Diego Zoo, San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA (United States) (ssp spatulatus)
Jonathan Beilby 1 August 2004 2 years ago 1.5
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Calls Locality San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, USA (United States)
pcx 18 March 2010 45 weeks ago 3
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