Roller is the name of 12 species of brightly colored birds that live in Africa, Europe, and Asia. Most rollers are striking shades of blue, pink, and cinnamon. The roller gets its name from the acrobatic flight the male performs when trying to attract a female. The male flies sharply upward over the treetops, then dives downward, calling loudly, twisting and rolling as it tumbles toward the ground.
The European roller has a blue head and breast, a chestnut back, and a greenish-blue and brown tail. It measures about 12 inches (30 centimeters) long. It nests in holes in trees or among rocks, where the female lays four to five white eggs. This bird breeds in Europe and winters in Africa.
