Atelornis crossleyi
The Rufous-headed Ground Roller (Atelornis crossleyi) is a striking and highly elusive bird endemic to the humid montane rainforests of eastern and central Madagascar. Measuring around 24-27 cm (9.5-10.5 inches) in length and weighing 95-120 grams, this medium-sized ground-dweller is instantly recognizable by its vivid coloration: a distinctive rufous-orange head, glossy iridescent green upperparts, a white throat, and a breast adorned with a blue band and a central dark spot. Its long, pale ...
This species inhabits primary humid evergreen and montane rainforests, primarily at elevations between 900 and 2,000 meters above sea level, preferring dense undergrowth and leaf litter on the forest floor.
Its diet consists primarily of insects and other small invertebrates found in the leaf litter, including ants, beetles, cockroaches, larvae, and earthworms, which it gleans from the forest floor.
The Rufous-headed Ground Roller is a largely terrestrial and solitary bird, active during the day when it forages quietly among the leaf litter. Its primary foraging strategy involves slow, deliberate movements on the forest floor, punctuated by sudden dashes to snatch insects, and occasional sal...
The Rufous-headed Ground Roller is a resident endemic to the humid evergreen and montane rainforests of eastern and central Madagascar. Its distribution is fragmented, occurring in several disjunct blocks across the island, largely corresponding to remaining tracts of high-altitude primary forest...
Vulnerable
- The Rufous-headed Ground Roller is one of only five species in the ancient family Brachypteraciidae, all of which are endemic to Madagascar. - It is one of the most elusive birds on Madagascar, often only detected by its distinctive, mournful call. - Its scientific name, Atelornis crossleyi, ho...