Rufous-headed Ground Roller

Overview

The rufous-headed ground roller, Atelornis crossleyi, is a species of bird in the family Brachypteraciidae that is endemic to Madagascar. Unlike most of its relatives, it inhabits montane evergreen rain forests rather than the dry southwestern spiny bushes. The species is currently classified as Near Threatened due to hunting and habitat loss.

Identification

• Approximately 25 cm long with reddish-brown head and breast, olive-green upper parts, and buff underparts with darker markings.
• Features a narrow blackish collar with white vertical streaks on the upper breast and an iridescent light blue patch on the carpal wing joint.
• Possesses a short tail, and both the beak and legs are grey.

Habitat

Found exclusively in eastern Madagascar, the species resides in montane evergreen rain forests at altitudes between 800 and 2,000 m, with the highest population density between 1,250 and 1,750 m. It is notably absent from Montagne d'Ambre in the far north of the island.

Diet

This terrestrial bird forages on the ground among dense vegetation, primarily consuming insects such as ants, beetles and their larvae, caterpillars, butterflies, and cockroaches.

Did you know?

The species is named after Alfred Crossley, a collector who gathered mammals, birds, butterflies, and moths in Madagascar and Cameroon during the 1860s and 1870s.