IMG 3546

What a lovely picture.

Lilac-breasted Roller

Thanks Hix, I never noticed the species was not named.

Nice shot . And I also call them 'The Posers of Tsavo' lol.

Have they ever bred these beatuiful birds

Chester have bred 44 lilac-breasted rollers and reared 24 chicks.

1996 2.2
1998 4.0
1999 3
2000 1.1.2(2 dns)
2001 4(4 dns)
2002 5(4 dns)
2003 3(3 dns)
2004 3.2.4(4 dns)
2005 8(3 dns)

The pair in Tsavo aviary are too old to breed, I hope a new breeding pair will replace them when they are no longer with us.

I can't claim to have worked with these lovely birds, but I know someone locally who reared a brood of four in an ordinary back garden aviary some years ago. So they have potential to breed well enough to establish a captive population.