---
title: "Purple Roller"
description: "Coracias naevius — Birds. The name \"purple roller\" can also refer to the azure dollarbird (Eurystomus azureus) of Indonesia."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/purple-roller
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Purple Roller

> Coracias naevius — Birds. The name "purple roller" can also refer to the azure dollarbird (Eurystomus azureus) of Indonesia.

- Scientific name: *Coracias naevius*
- Category: `birds` (Birds)
- Habitats: `savanna` (Savanna)
- iNaturalist observations: 1631
- Wikidata: [Q628149](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q628149)
- iNaturalist taxon: [144659](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/144659)

## Names

- en: Purple Roller
- de: Strichelracke
- es: Carraca Coroniparda
- fr: Rollier varié
- it: Coracias naevia
- nl: Roodkruinscharrelaar
- pt: Rolieiro-de-sobrancelhas-brancas
- pl: Kraska kreskowana

## Countries with the most observations

ZA (625), NA (263), BJ (114), GM (96), KE (93), TZ (75), BW (60), ZW (55), ET (47), SN (43), NG (27), GH (22)

## Summary

The name "purple roller" can also refer to the azure dollarbird (Eurystomus azureus) of Indonesia.

The purple roller (Coracias naevius), or rufous-crowned roller, is a medium-sized bird widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. Compared with other rollers its colours are rather dull and its voice harsh and grating.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_roller

## Photo

![Purple Roller](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/purple-roller/medium.jpg)

Photo: louiskameel · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/325167794

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/purple-roller?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).