▁the ▁roll ers , ▁growing ▁to ▁a ▁length ▁of ▁. ▁From ▁a ▁distance ▁it ▁appears ▁a ▁d ull ▁brown ish ▁bird ▁with ▁a ▁white ▁stri pe ▁over ▁the ▁eye , ▁a ▁patch ▁of ▁white ▁on ▁the ▁na pe ▁and ▁a ▁dark ▁tail . ▁Northern ▁populations ▁tend ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁r uf us ▁crown ▁while ▁southern ▁populations ▁have ▁a ▁more ▁o live - green ▁crown . ▁The ▁under parts ▁are ▁pur pl ish - p ink ▁stre aked ▁with ▁white . ▁The ▁wings ▁are ▁long ▁and ▁rounded ▁while ▁the ▁tail ▁is ▁square - cut . ▁The ▁voice ▁is ▁a ▁rather ▁gr ating ▁" ka " ▁or ▁" ga a ", ▁repeated ▁rapidly ▁and ▁even ly . ▁ ▁Be hav iour ▁and ▁e col ogy ▁Its ▁preferred ▁habitat ▁is ▁dry ▁th orn vel d ▁where ▁it ▁sp ends ▁long ▁periods ▁per ched ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁th orn ▁trees ▁or ▁pol es , ▁watching ▁for ▁food ▁items ▁such ▁as ▁insect s , ▁sp iders , ▁sc orp ions ▁and ▁small ▁l iz ards ▁on ▁the ▁ground . ▁It ▁rocks ▁to - and - f ro ▁about ▁its ▁longitud inal ▁axis ▁during ▁display ▁fl ights , ▁calling ▁ra uc ously ▁all ▁the ▁while ; ▁starting ▁from ▁above ▁the ▁tre et ops ▁it ▁pl umm ets ▁towards ▁the ▁ground ▁in ▁rolling ▁flight . ▁It ▁is ▁territorial , ▁and ▁during ▁the ▁bre eding ▁season ▁will ▁drive ▁off ▁other ▁roll ers , ▁small ▁ha w ks ▁and ▁c rows . ▁ ▁This ▁species ▁seems ▁to ▁be ▁an ▁opportun ist