New brightly coloured bird arrives at Dudley Zoo
A new brightly coloured bird has made his new home at Dudley Zoo.
The Lilac-breasted roller, who keepers have named Trev, arrived at the zoo six months ago – but has only gone on show to visitors this week.
The zoo's new feathered friend – who is blue, lilac, white and brown in colour – arrived from Birdworld in Hampshire.
Visitors can now see Trev in Dudley Zoo's Triple Aviaries.
Nicola Wright, section leader, said: "Lilac-breasted rollers are native to sub-Saharan Africa, so we have waited for the weather to begin getting warmer until letting him into the outside aviary.
“He is such a striking bird and I have wanted one in our collection for years, as they are not kept in many zoos, so I am really pleased to have him here and hopefully we can source a female to pair him with in the future.”
Listed as least concern, the Lilac-breasted roller gets its name from its impressive courtship ritual – fast rocking and rolling flight.
The birds eat grasshoppers, beetles and small amphibians – and will sweep down to hunt from the ground, aggressively battering their prey before swallowing it whole.
