Uratelornis chimaera
The Long-tailed Ground Roller (Uratelornis chimaera) is an avian enigma, a striking endemic bird of Madagascar's spiny forests. Measuring approximately 47-50 cm in length, with its exceptionally long, graduated tail contributing up to 30 cm, it presents a unique silhouette. Its plumage is a mosaic of soft blue-grey on the crown and back, contrasting with rufous underparts, a white throat, and a distinct black breast band speckled with white. A defining field mark is the bare, bright sky-blue ...
This species exclusively inhabits the arid, low-lying spiny forest and scrubland of southwestern Madagascar, preferring sandy soils and elevations generally below 100 meters.
Its diet consists primarily of invertebrates, including a variety of insects, spiders, and earthworms, supplemented by small vertebrates like lizards and frogs, all primarily obtained by foraging on the ground.
The Long-tailed Ground Roller is a predominantly terrestrial and diurnal bird, spending most of its time on the forest floor, where it forages for prey. It moves with a distinctive, almost reptilian run, often raising its long tail high as it dashes through the undergrowth, preferring to run or f...
The Long-tailed Ground Roller is strictly endemic to a relatively small and highly fragmented area within the arid southwestern region of Madagascar. Its distribution is primarily concentrated between the Mangoky and Fiherenana Rivers, extending inland from the coastal plain. Key population cente...
Vulnerable
- The "chimaera" in its scientific name (Uratelornis chimaera) refers to its unique, almost mythical combination of features, making it unlike any other bird. - It is one of only five species in the Brachypteraciidae family, an ancient group of rollers found exclusively on Madagascar. - Despite b...