THE EUROPEAN ROLLER: CONSERVATION STATUS

The European population of this blue bird is estimated at 37,700-79,200 pairs, which equates to 75,400-158,000 mature individuals. The population in the EU27 is estimated at 11,900-22,800 pairs, which equates to 23,800-45,600 mature individuals.
​European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) EU27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

EUROPEAN ROLLER

The European roller (Coracias garrulus) is the only member of the roller family of birds to breed in Europe. Its overall range extends into the Middle East, Central Asia and Morocco.
Geographic Range
​NATIVE:
​Extant (breeding)Albania; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Croatia; Czechia; Estonia; Georgia; Hungary; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation (European Russia); Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Turkey

DESCRIPTION

The European roller is a stocky bird, the size of a jackdaw at 29–32 cm in length with a 52–58 cm wingspan; it is mainly blue with an orange-brown back. Rollers often perch prominently on trees, posts or overhead wires, like giant shrikes, whilst watching for the large insects, small reptiles, rodents and frogs that they eat.

MIGRATION

The advent of sufficiently lightweight tracking technology has facilitated several recent studies of roller migration, providing new information on the non-breeding sites used by rollers from different breeding populations. Individuals from south-west European populations migrate to south-west Africa (Angola, Namibia, and Botswana), with French and north-Spanish birds taking a direct southerly route across the Sahara, while Portuguese and south-Spanish birds take a more westerly route around the west African coast.

https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22682860/59983238​

OUR GOAL

Migratory birds have great stories to tell. Listen! You can help!

First Let's

Discover

Threats include persecution on migration in some Mediterranean countries and hundreds, perhaps thousands, are shot for food in Oman and India (del Hoyo et al. 2001). The loss of suitable breeding habitat due to changing agricultural practices, conversion to monoculture, loss of nest sites, and use of pesticides (reducing food availability) are considered to be the main threats to the species in Europe (E. Racinskis in litt. 2005, Kovacs et al. 2008). It is sensitive to loss of hedgerows and riparian forest in Europe which provide essential habitats for perching and nesting.
(http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/european-roller-coracias-garrulus/text​)

Now let's WORK

Conserve

Conservation and Research Actions Proposed

The Flyway Action Plan for the European Roller Coracias garrulus, which was prepared in 2017, provides a detailed assessment of the conservation and research actions necessary in the next decade to conserve the European Roller across its natural range (Tokody et al. 2017). Investigate the habitat requirements of this species and the migration route it uses to reach its wintering grounds. Assess threats facing the species, involving collaboration between European and African research institutes, as well as how climate change will impact the species. Conserve and manage existing habitat. Promote native tree planting to reduce deforestation and encourage agro-environmental schemes and biodiversity-friendly farming. Reduce illegal killing and trapping of birds. Put in place measures to reduce the accidental killing of migrating birds by wind farms and electricity infrastructure. Ensure the legal protection of the European Roller across its range states.
(http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/european-roller-coracias-garrulus/text​)

IT'S UP TO US

Change

​We are here to help nature flourish, not disappear. Forest fires,  habitat loss, drought, illegal hunting and trade, photographing...These are just some bitter flashbacks of what the humanity has been doing to Planet Earth, its species and itself. However, it's high time for a change, as one bird matters! 


‘As the UN Secretary Mr. General António Guterres said, ‘’ … migratory birds are symbols of peace and of an interconnected planet. “They connect people, ecosystems and nations … Their epic journeys inspire people of all ages, across the globe’.
We can learn in school that global sustainability defines the conditions under which humans and nature, can co-exist in ways that enable productive harmony, stability and resilience to support present and future generations.

But, imagine yourself unable to find healthy oxygen, water and food while going away, back to or at home, with someone invisible to blame… Will you let your fledglings ever come back to their motherland? Or will you fly away?

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