Other Scientific Names
Coracias abyssinica [BirdLife International (2004)], Coracias abyssinica [Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)], Coracias abyssinica [Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993)]
Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Côte dIvoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia (B), Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Yemen (B).
Vagrant to Egypt, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Somalia.
Senegal to eastern Ethiopia, north to Sahara, and south to edge of rainforest zone; occasionally into desert, north to coastal north-western Mauritania (Nouadhibou) and north-central Sudan (Khartoum); also south-western Arabia (has nested at least in southern Yemen).
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Abyssinian Roller (Coracias abyssinicus) [XC177378]
by Bram Piot from Tono Dam, Ghana, Ghana (call, flight call)
Abyssinian Roller (Coracias abyssinicus) [XC331276]
by Bram Piot from Technop\u00f4le, Dakar, Senegal (call)
Subspecies
Often regarded as forming a superspecies with Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus) and European Roller (Coracias garrulus), though probably more closely allied to Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus). May be closely related to Racquet-tailed Roller (Coracias spatulatus). Species name frequently given as feminine, abyssinica, as in original description, but genus is masculine.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet