Lilac-Breasted Roller Waiting on a Branch

This vibrantly colored bird is the unofficial national bird of Kenya and lives in the open woodlands and savannas of southeastern Africa. It waits to spot insects, lizards, or small rodents on a high branch, then swoops down quickly to capture them on the ground. They are called “rollers” because of the male’s acrobatic side-to side rolling during flight in its courtship efforts.