The beautifully coloured Lilac Breasted Roller is Kenya's National Bird

Lilac Breasted Roller-Kenya's national bird. [Courtesy]

Did you know Kenya has a National Bird? The most common guess around is that it is the rooster but no; Kenya’s unofficial national bird is the beautifully coloured Lilac Breasted Roller. Its Swahili name is ‘Kambu’ or ‘Chole’

The bird plummage consists about eight colours boasting lilac and turquoise that most men would have trouble identifying. This strong and swift bird has a robust body and a proportionately large, green head with a heavy black beak. It has a white chin and a white or yellow band above the eyes and beak. Its breast is a dark lilac that grows lighter towards the throat. The abdomen and underside of the wings are turquoise, and the wings’ underside is trimmed with dark blue. The upper part of the wings is reddish brown. Their forked tail, which is also turquoise, ends in black streamers. These wide arrays of colours are supposed to represent the diversity in Kenya in terms of cultures, sceneries, attractions and the country’s uniqueness. The bird is also found in most regions of the country.