The Blue-bellied Roller, Coracias cyanogaster, is a largish bird which breeds across Africa from Senegal to northeast Democratic Republic of the Congo. Beautiful blue colouring.

It was my first encounter with this magnificent, jackdaw-sized bird and I was watching it closely as it perched on a branch some 20 or 30 metres away. Suddenly, it flew down and landed mere feet away. Amazing. I eventually slowly raised my camera and took a shot or two, with the bird showing no signs of wishing to depart.

The Blue-bellied Roller grows to a length of around 30 cm (12 in), has a dark brown back, buff head neck and breast and beautiful blue plumage.

It feeds on grasshoppers and other large insects.