Nat Hab's 2024 Guest Photo Contest

Species: Lilac Breasted Roller | Location: Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, Botswana

I saw this magnificently colored bird the first day on safari in Botswana and I asked our guide to please stop the vehicle if we saw it again so I could photograph it. He said, "You will see this little guy every day. You will have many chances!" Our wonderful guide was not, however, a photographer and we would not have too many chances to see this bird while still, posing for a photo. The bird's flight includes side to side rolling, thus its name and they are the size of a song bird. Several days into the trip I got my chance when we were stopped to watch a red lechwe herd and this roller perched on a dead branch fairly close to our vehicle.

About The Photographer

My photography hobby includes shooting with both the iPhone and my Canon 70D. Capturing wildlife photography during our travels definitely helps us remember our trips. I especially love capturing primates with the camera because they are so much like us, sharing more than 90% of our DNA. Birds are another popular subject for me, although a frustrating subject at times due to their speed and small size!