Interesting Facts About Kenya’s National Bird

As the global pandemic continues and people around the world spend more time at home looking for ways to stay entertained, bird-watching can be a wonderful activity for those living in Kenya.

Kenya is home to more than 1,000 bird species, ranging from herons and storks to weavers and sparrows. Among this impressive variety, however, one species stands out as a particularly treasured bird. For many Kenyans, it has become an important national symbol.

That bird is the lilac-breasted roller. Few birds in Kenya generate the same excitement and admiration when spotted as this colorful species, perhaps rivaling the reaction usually reserved for famous wildlife such as lions and cheetahs. Here are some fascinating facts about this remarkable bird.

1. Kenya’s National Bird

The lilac-breasted roller is recognized as Kenya’s national bird because of its remarkable combination of feather colors. Its plumage displays approximately eight different shades, including green, white, black, yellow, turquoise, dark blue, reddish-brown, and lilac.

These varied colors are often seen as a representation of the many different tribes and communities that make up Kenya. In this way, the bird reflects the country's rich cultural diversity through its striking appearance.

2. The Bird Is Called Kambu in Swahili

In Swahili, the lilac-breasted roller is known as “Kambu,” which is considerably shorter and easier to say than its English name.

Interestingly, there are two subspecies associated with this group of rollers. Alongside the lilac-breasted roller is another form known as the lilac-throated roller, which is also sometimes called the blue-breasted roller.

3. Male and Female Rollers Look Alike

Dimorphic animals have obvious physical differences between males and females. Peacocks, baboons, spiders, and humans are examples of animals that display sexual dimorphism.

Lilac-breasted rollers, however, do not show obvious differences between the sexes. Both males and females have equally spectacular plumage, making it difficult to determine whether an individual is male or female simply by looking at it.

4. Their Diet Includes Arthropods and Small Invertebrates

Lilac-breasted rollers consume a wide variety of arthropods and small invertebrates. Their regular food includes spiders, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes, and snails.

They are also known to visit recently burned farmland, where they search for insects that have been forced out of vegetation and undergrowth by fires.

Their diet is not limited to small invertebrates. These birds have also been observed catching relatively slow-moving reptiles, including lizards, chameleons, and snakes.

5. They Have a Remarkable Hunting Method

The lilac-breasted roller is considered a remarkably bold bird and does not show the same level of fear toward humans that many other bird species display.

Its bold nature can also be seen in the way it handles prey. The bird may swoop down to seize an animal, and when its prey is too large to swallow immediately, it uses its wings to beat and disorient the animal. This allows the roller to make the prey manageable enough to consume safely.