Rollers: Coraciidae

Rollers range within Africa, southern Europe, and southern Asia to northeastern and southeastern Asia, and Australasia, east to the Solomon Islands.

Rollers live in forests, woodlands, savannas (flat grasslands), and within urban areas, preferring the tropics and subtropics.

People generally have little interest in rollers. Some exceptions occur; for instance, body parts of rollers are used in love potions, drinks supposedly used to increase sexual desire. Rollers have also been viewed as good omens. People hunt ground-rollers for food because they are easy targets.

True rollers are common throughout all or part of their ranges, with one species considered Vulnerable, facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. Ground-rollers have four species that are considered Vulnerable due to deforestation. Cuckoo rollers are generally common and survive in small, fragmented forest patches. However, they are being adversely affected by widespread land clearing.