Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Ground roller
Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images
Ground roller (Atelornis pittoides).
Quizzes
Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters
Animal Group Names
Lion (panthera leo)
Deadliest Animals Quiz
Young chimpanzee dressed in a shirt and sweater vest, scratching his head thinking. (primates)
Wild Words from the Animal Kingdom Vocabulary Quiz
Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)
Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz
turkey vulture. vulture. Close-up of a head and beak of a Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura).
A Little Bird Told Me
Quick Facts
Related Topics:
Coraciiform
See all related content
Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Ground roller (Atelornis pittoides).
Ground roller (Atelornis pittoides).

Ground roller

bird
Also known as: Brachypteraciidae
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
Last updated
•History

Ground roller, any of five species of pigeon-sized birds that comprise the family Brachypteracidae (order Coraciiformes) known for their tumbling flight. They are found only in Madagascar. Four species inhabit deep forest; one, the long-tailed ground roller (Uratelornis chimaera), confined to a small desert in southwestern Madagascar, is nearly extinct. Ground rollers range from 30 to 40 centimetres (12 to 16 inches) in length.