The lilac breasted roller is an African bird of the Coraciidae family. It's scientific name is coracius caudatus and is known for its aerial breeding displays of aerobatics. The lilac breasted roller is surprisingly also called many other names such as the fork-tailed roller, lilac throated roller and the Mosilikatze's roller. Interestingly, the roller was named by the Swedish scientist, Carl Linnaeus in 1766.

To begin with, Lilac breasted rollers usually live within the areas of eastern and southern Africa, occurring locally at sea level. The prefer higher grounds and trees for nesting, feeding and to avoid human-influenced areas. On average, they are not found in urban or rural areas unless it has been abandoned. During post breeding, they are found in Miombo Woodlands which are subtropical grasslands or sandy areas. The roller can usually be seen swooping for their prey, when farmers burn their land for agriculture use, as the prey have been forced out by the fire.

Lilac breasted rollers are usually monogamous (having one partner at a time) and are nest solitary. They are very protective of their nest and their young, often using a rolling pattern in the air (hence their name) as a territorial display. The rollers usually build their nests in baobab trees, dead coconuts, casuarina and Terminalia trees. They are not usually known for creating nest and only take over other nest that have been previously hollowed out by woodpeckers or kingfishers. Lilac breasted rollers breed during various times of the year depending on their location and produce 2-4 eggs per breeding season. Normally, hatchlings are born altricial (underdeveloped since birth) and are only to be fully feathered 19 days later.