Brachypteraciidae – Ground Rollers

The Brachypteraciidae or Ground Rollers are a small family of non-migratory near-passerine birds restricted to Madagascar.

They are Coraciiformes as are Coraciidae (Rollers) Meropidae (Bee-eaters), Momotidae (Motmots) and Alcedinidae (Kingfishers). They most resemble the rollers, and have sometimes been considered a sub-family of the true rollers.

Mitochondrial DNA analyses confirmed the systematics of this group pointing out that the previous merging of the two families of Geobiastes into Brachypteracias, as was usually done since the 1960s, should be reversed at least until a more comprehensive, fossil supported review is possible.

Long-tailed Ground-Roller Uratelornis chimaera – ©Dubi Shapiro

Ground rollers share the generally crow-like size and build of the true rollers, ranging from twenty-five to forty-nine centimetres in length. They also hunt small reptiles and large insects. They are much more terrestrial than the Coraciidae species, and this is reflected in their longer legs and shorter, more rounded wings.

These insectivores of Madagascar are generally large-headed, with a base colour of olive or brown accented by distinctive patterns of blue or rufous.

Scaly Ground-Roller Geobiastes squamigera – ©Dubi Shapiro

Curiously, they possess both powder-down and long aftershafts in their body feathers. Generally, they are thrush-like in their movements, being largely birds of the ground as their name implies. All but one species nest in excavated burrows. However, most ground-rollers climb to branches to deliver their distinctive hooting territorial calls, which they do with an emphatic nod of the head at every note.

Rufous-headed Ground-Roller Atelornis crossleyi – ©Dubi Shapiro

Short-legged Ground-Roller Brachypteracias leptosomus – ©Dubi Shapiro

They lack the highly colourful appearance of the true rollers, and are duller in appearance, with striped or flecked plumage. They are much more elusive and shyer than their relatives, and are normally difficult to find in the Malagasy forests. Often the hooting breeding call is all that betrays their presence.

They nest as solitary pairs in holes in the ground which they excavate themselves, unlike the true rollers, which rarely nest in ground holes and even then, do not dig their own nests.

There are just five species of Ground Roller in the family Brachypteraciidae, all endemic to the island of Madagascar.