What is "coracias"

Coracias \Coracias\ n. the type genus of the Coraciidae.

Syn: genus Coracias.

Coracias is a genus of the rollers, an Old World family of near passerine birds related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters. They share the colourful appearance of those groups, blues and browns predominating. The two outer front toes are connected, but not the inner one.

These are insect eaters, usually catching their prey in the air. They often perch prominently whilst hunting, like giant shrikes.

The name is from the Ancient Greek korakías , derived from korax (, ‘raven, crow’). Aristotle described the coracias as a bird as big as a crow but has a red beak, which some believe to be the chough.

The species in taxonomic order are:

• European roller Coracias garrulus
• Abyssinian roller Coracias abyssinicus
• Lilac-breasted roller Coracias caudatus
• Racket-tailed roller Coracias spatulatus
• Rufous-crowned roller Coracias noevius
• Indian roller Coracias benghalensis
• Purple-winged roller Coracias temminckii
• Blue-bellied roller Coracias cyanogaster