Long-tailed ground roller
The long-tailed ground roller is a species of bird in the ground roller family Brachypteraciidae, placed in the monotypic genus Uratelornis. Endemic to arid spiny forests near the coast in southwestern Madagascar, this ground roller occurs at extremely low population densities. It is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN and is threatened by habitat destruction.
About Long-tailed ground roller in brief
The long-tailed ground roller is a species of bird in the ground roller family Brachypteraciidae, placed in the monotypic genus Uratelornis. Endemic to arid spiny forests near the coast in southwestern Madagascar, this ground roller occurs at extremely low population densities. It has no recognized subspecies, and its closest relative is the scaly ground roller. The bird is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN and is threatened by habitat destruction. It is a monogamous species, and it defends a territory during the breeding season of October to February. It digs a tunnel in the sand, at the end of which is a wider chamber where it makes its nest out of leaves and earthy pellets. Two to four eggs are laid. After the chicks fledge, the birds continue living in family groups until at least February before dispersing more widely across the scrubland. This ground roller has short wings, pinkish legs, and dark brown upperparts with black streaks. Its supercilium is a sandy buff, while the ear-coverts are brown. Its tail can contribute up to 30 centimeters of the length, which makes it the longest of any ground rollers. Its tongue is short and stout and is a long brush-like tip with a black tip to help it collect insects. The upperparts are dark brown with black. streaks while the underparts are light gray.
The white throat is framed by black malar stripes and a black breastband, and a white stripe is present at the base of the bill. Sky-blue feathers are visible at the edge of the wings and the tail. The underside of the tail is a pale buff-colored color while the ears are brown and the ear coverts are pale buff. The male has a dark brown crown with black streaked black upperparts. The female has a light brown crown and dark gray underparts while the male’s crown has black streaks with dark brown underparts. It feeds primarily on invertebrates, including ants, beetles, butterflies, and worms, which they find by searching through deep leaf litter or by remaining still and watching attentively. The species is losing habitat to slash-and-burn agriculture, charcoal collection, and logging, and is also hunted by the native peoples of Madagascar. The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek word oura. The specific name, chimaera, is a reference to the ancient Greek mythological creature known as the chimera. It gets its common name due to its similarity to the rollers and its largely terrestrial nature. It was first described by British banker and naturalist Walter Rothschild in 1895, giving it the scientific name UrateLornis Chimaera.
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This page is based on the article Long-tailed ground roller published in Wikipedia (as of Oct. 30, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
