Saudi
Arabia has three species of roller on the country list. These are Indian Roller
Coracias benghalensis a vagrant,
Abyssinian Roller Coracias abyssinicus
a breeding resident of the southwest region of the Kingdom and European
Roller Coracias garrulus a common
passage migrant from March to May and again from mid-July to late September
when juveniles are also seen along with adults. Birds are regularly seen in the
Eastern Province in all areas but are not particularly common at Sabkhat Al
Fasl. They are seen every year in both spring and autumn in very small numbers
at this location but they are always good to see. It appears to have been a
good year so far for European Rollers as birds have been reported in quite a
few areas already and it is only the end of August.
