Rufous-crowned Roller

Coracias naevius

Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderCoraciiformes (Rollers, Kingfishers, and Allies)
FamilyCoraciidae (Rollers)
GenusCoracias (Typical Rollers)
SpeciesCoracias naevius (Rufous-crowned Roller)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Nairobi National Park

2 Verified sightings at Nairobi National Park From 2019 to 2026

2,973 Verified sightings across all 36 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Rufous-crowned Roller

The name "purple roller" can also refer to the azure dollarbird (Eurystomus azureus) of Indonesia. The purple roller (Coracias naevius), or rufous-crowned roller, is a medium-sized bird widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. Compared with other rollers its colours are rather dull and its voice harsh and grating.

The purple roller was formally described in 1800 by the French zoologist François Marie Daudin under the binomial name Coracias naevia. Daudin's description was based on a specimen collected in Senegal. The specific epithet is from Latin naevius meaning "spotted" or "marked". A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2018 found that the purple roller was most closely related to the racket-tailed roller (Coracias spatulatus).

The phylogenetic relationships among the Coracias species are shown below, from the molecular study by Johansson et al. (2018) Two subspecies are recognised: Lilac-throated roller (C. n. naevius) – Daudin, 1800: The common name for this subspecies is also used as an alternate name for the lilac-breasted roller. Found from Senegal and Gambia to Somalia and northern Tanzania

C. n. mosambicus – Dresser, 1890: Originally described... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Nairobi National Park

Coracias caudatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Coracias garrulus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Eurystomus glaucurus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Merops pusillus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Corythornis cristatus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Ceryle rudis

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Halcyon chelicuti

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Merops oreobates

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Halcyon leucocephala

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Merops apiaster

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Ispidina picta

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Megaceryle maxima

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Awash National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	~40%
2	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	~20%
3	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
4	Waterberg Plateau Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	~20%
5	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~20%
6	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~20%
7	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
8	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
9	Meru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
10	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
11	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~10%
12	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
13	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
14	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
15	Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
16	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
17	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	<5%
18	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
19	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
20	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
21	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	<5%
22	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
23	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
24	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	<5%
25	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
26	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
27	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	Insufficient data
28	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
29	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	Insufficient data
30	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
31	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
32	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
33	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
34	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
35	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
36	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	Insufficient data

← Back to Nairobi National Park

Rufous-crowned Roller

About the Rufous-crowned Roller

Recent sightings of Rufous-crowned Roller in Nairobi National Park

Closest Relatives at Nairobi National Park

Lilac-breasted Roller

European Roller

Broad-billed Roller

Little Bee-eater

Malachite Kingfisher

Pied Kingfisher

Striped Kingfisher

Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater

Gray-headed Kingfisher

European Bee-eater

African Pygmy-Kingfisher

Giant Kingfisher

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found