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PLEASE! If you see any mistakes, I'm 100% sure that I have wrongly identified some birds.
So please let me know on my guestbook at the bottom of the page
So please let me know on my guestbook at the bottom of the page
  Indian Roller, the Coracias benghalensis that we have in Thailand changed taxonomy in India in Aug 2019 and are now called Indochinese Roller
The Indian roller (Coracias benghalensis), is a member of the roller family of birds. They are found widely across tropical Asia from Iraq eastward across the Indian Subcontinent to Indochina and are best known for the aerobatic displays of the male during the breeding season. They are very commonly seen perched along roadside trees and wires and are commonly seen in open grassland and scrub forest habitats. It is not migratory, but undertakes some seasonal movements. The largest populations of the species are within India, and several states in India have chosen it as their state bird. Distribution and habitat The Indian roller is distributed across Asia, from Iraq and United Arab Emirates in south-western Asia through the Indian Subcontinent, including Sri Lanka, Lakshadweep islands and Maldive Islands into Southeast Asia. Its main habitat includes cultivated areas, thin forest and grassland.  Taxonomy and systematics The Indian roller was originally described as belonging to the genus Corvus. Alternate names for the Indian roller include the Indian blue roller, northern roller and southern blue roller. Subspecies Three subspecies are recognized: • C. b. benghalensis - (Linnaeus, 1758): Found from eastern Arabia to north-eastern India and Bangladesh • Southern roller (C. b. indicus) - Linnaeus, 1766: Originally described as a separate species. Found in central and southern India, Sri Lanka • Burmese roller (C. b. affinis) - Horsfield, 1840: Originally described as a separate species. Also called the Indochinese roller. Found from north-eastern India to south-central China, northern Malay Peninsula and Indochina  Indian Roller - C. b. indicus - We can see that the bill is aberrant
Yala, Sri Lanka - May 2017
 Aberrant bill, a little something I learned on Birdforum. I posted a question: 
Description The Indian roller is a stocky bird about 26–27 cm long and can only be confused within its range with the migratory European roller. The breast is brownish and not blue as in the European Roller. The crown and vent are blue. The primaries are deep purplish blue with a band of pale blue. The tail is sky blue with a terminal band of Prussian blue and the central feathers are dull green.  Indian Roller - C. b. benghalensis
Bardia, Nepal - March 2018
The neck and throat are purplish lilac with white shaft streaks. The bare patch around the eye is ochre in colour. The three forward toes are united at the base. Rollers have a long and compressed bill with a curved upper edge and a hooked tip. The nostril is long and exposed and there are long rictal bristles at the base of the bill. Three subspecies are usually recognized. The nominate form is found from western Asia (Iraq, Arabia) east across the Indian Subcontinent, and within India north of the Vindhyas mountain ranges. The subspecies indicus is found in peninsular India and Sri Lanka. The southern form has a darker reddish collar on the hind neck which is missing in the nominate form. The race affinis of northeastern India and Southeast Asia (Thailand, Myanmar, Indochina) is sometimes considered a full species, but within the Indian region, it is seen to intergrade with benghalensis. The form affinis is darker, larger and has a purplish brown and unstreaked face and breast. It has underwing coverts in a deeper shade of blue.  Indian Roller - The darker and larger C. b. affinis
has a purplish brown and unstreaked face and breast Bangkok, Thailand - July 2016
Ecology and behaviour Indian rollers are often seen perched on prominent bare trees or wires. They descend to the ground to capture their prey which may include insects, arachnids, small reptiles, small snakes and amphibians. Fires attract them and they will also follow tractors for disturbed invertebrates. In agricultural habitats in southern India, they have been found at densities of about 50 birds per km2. They perch mainly on 3—10 metre high perches and feed mostly on ground insects. Nearly 50% of their prey are beetles and 25% made up by grasshoppers and crickets. It has been suggest that the Indian roller could play a role in controlling agricultural insect pests due to its feeding behaviour. The feeding behaviour of this roller and habitat usage are very similar to that of the Black Drongo . During summer, they may also feed late in the evening and make use of artificial lights and feed on insects attracted to them. They are attracted to swarms of winged termites, and as many as 40 birds have been seen to perch on a 70-metre stretch of electric wires. Its habit of feeding near roadsides sometimes results in collisions with traffic. A decline in the numbers of these birds seen along roadsides in northern India has been noted. A study on roosting behaviour found that immediately after waking up, the birds spend a few minutes preening followed by flying around their roosting sites. Favoured perches include electric or telegraphic wires. They have also been observed perching in trees and shrubs.
 Indian Roller and a Drongo
Pench, India - February 2016
Rollers tend mostly at a heights of 3-9 m height from where they forage for ground insects. They may also use taller perches and obtain insects from the upper canopy of trees. The display of this bird is an aerobatic display, with the twists and turns that give this species its English name. The breeding season is March to June, slightly earlier in southern India. Displays when perched include bill-up displays, bowing, allopreening, wing drooping and tail fanning. Holes created by Woodpeckers or wood boring insects in palms are favoured for nesting in some areas. Nest cavities may also be made by tearing open rotten tree trunks or in cavities in building. The cavity is usually unlined and is made up mainly of debris from the wood. The normal clutch consists of about 3-5 eggs. The eggs are white and broad oval or nearly spherical. Both sexes incubate the eggs for about 17 to 19 days. The young fledge and leave the nest after about a month. Nearly 80% of the eggs hatch and fledge. The call of the Indian roller is a harsh crow-like chack sound. It also makes a variety of other sounds, including metallic boink calls. It is especially vociferous during the breeding season. Listen to the Indian Roller
Sound from www.xeno-canto.org
Listen to the Indian Roller - C. b. affinis
Sound from www.xeno-canto.org
 The bird bathes in open water by plunge-diving into it, a behaviour often interpreted as fishing. But it may occasionally attempt fishing from water. Blood parasites Leucocytozoon of the family Plasmodiidae have been noted in the lung tissues. Parasitic helminth worms Hadjelia truncata and Synhimantus spiralis were recorded as well. In culture The Indian roller is very common in the populated plains of India and associated with Hindu legends. It is said to be sacred to Vishnu, and used to be caught and released during festivals such as Dussera or the last day of Durga Puja. A local Hindi name is neelkanth, meaning "blue throat", a name associated with the deity Shiva (who drank poison resulting in the blue throat). Adding its chopped feathers to grass and feeding them to cows was believed to increase their milk yield. The Indian roller has been chosen as the state bird by the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka and Telangana. Conservation status
 Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2016: e.T22725914A94905872.
doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22725914A94905872.en. Retrieved 14 January 2018. The African Roller was my favourite bird in Africa, the Indian Roller is also very beautiful, but the Liliac Breated Roller in Africa is outstanding. Click HERE to see the Liliac Breated Roller From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Sighted: (Date of first photo that I could use) 1st of January 2016 Location: Suan Rot Fai/ Queen Sirikit Park, Bangkok Thank's to Nick Upton at www.thaibirding.com for HOT birding tip for the Bangkok area on his web page. Read his review by clicking HERE Visit Nick Upton at www.thaibirding.com for HOT birding tips for sites around Bangkok and Thailand. There are reviews of the birding sites with maps and information. And if you like Nick Upton's web page you will also like www.norththailandbirding.com I have used this page together with Nick Upton's page when planning my birding tours. Excellent reviews and information about the birding sites. I also got the Thai names of the birds from www.norththailandbirding.com. There is a bird check list with all the names in English and Thai. And of course also the Scientific Name. Down load the birdlist in Microsoft Excel format at www.norththailandbirding.com Or down load the Excel sheet by clicking HERE PLEASE! As I'm a first time birdwatcher bear in mind that some of the bird can be wrongly named. I have bought book and I confirm on the internet to get the right identity on the birds I take pictures off. But there can still be mistakes.  Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง - 1 January 2016 - Suan Rot Fai/ Queen Sirikit Park, Bangkok
 Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง - 1 January 2016 - Suan Rot Fai/ Queen Sirikit Park, Bangkok
 Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง - 10 July 2016 - Suan Rot Fai/ Queen Sirikit Park, Bangkok
 Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง - 10 July 2016 - Suan Rot Fai/ Queen Sirikit Park, Bangkok
 Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง - 6 June 2019 - Suan Rot Fai/ Queen Sirikit Park, Bangkok
 Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง - 6 June 2019 - Suan Rot Fai/ Queen Sirikit Park, Bangkok
 Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง - 6 June 2019 - Suan Rot Fai/ Queen Sirikit Park, Bangkok
 Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง - 6 June 2019 - Suan Rot Fai/ Queen Sirikit Park, Bangkok
 Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง
27 May 2020 - Laem Chabang International Country Club  Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง
14 June 2020 - 3432, Tambon Huai Mae Priang, Kaeng Krachan  Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง
14 June 2020 - 3432, Tambon Huai Mae Priang, Kaeng Krachan  Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง
14 June 2020 - 3432, Tambon Huai Mae Priang, Kaeng Krachan  Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง
14 June 2020 - 3432, Tambon Huai Mae Priang, Kaeng Krachan  Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง
26 July 2020 - eBird hotspot: Mahasawat WTP, Bangkok  Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง
26 July 2020 - eBird hotspot: Mahasawat WTP, Bangkok  Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง
26 July 2020 - eBird hotspot: Mahasawat WTP, Bangkok  Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง
26 July 2020 - eBird hotspot: Mahasawat WTP, Bangkok  Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง
26 July 2020 - eBird hotspot: Mahasawat WTP, Bangkok  Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง
26 July 2020 - eBird hotspot: Mahasawat WTP, Bangkok  Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง
26 July 2020 - eBird hotspot: Mahasawat WTP, Bangkok  Indochinese Roller / นกตะขาบทุ่ง
27 July 2020 - Suan Rot Fai, Bangkok PLEASE! If I have made any mistakes identifying any bird, PLEASE let me know on my guestbook 
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