The Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis) is a species of roller belonging to the Order Coraciiformes, which also includes the hornbills, kingfishers and bee-eaters. This order is characterized by having a large head, short neck, short legs, relatively weak feet, and usually a long and/or broad bill. The plumage is generally bright with iridescent greens and blues (Fry & Fry 1999; Witman 2007).
The rollers, so named due to their habit of rolling from side to side during territorial and courtship flight displays (Perrins 1979), belong to the Family Coraciidae. This family consists of only two genera, Eurystomus and Coracias, containing 12 species. The Dollarbird is the only representative of the Coraciidae found in Australia (Fry & Fry 1999). It is a migratory bird, arriving in October for the breeding season and departing in February to winter in the Sunda and Solomon Islands, the Bismark Archipelago and New Guinea surrounds (Frith 1976; Henderson 1999; Trounson & Trounson 1987), although Dollarbirds have been known to overwinter in northern Australia (Fry & Fry 1999).
Whilst rollers as a group are popular exhibit birds (Coraciiformes TAG 2004), Dollarbirds are not commonly kept in captivity. According to the ISIS database (2008), only 16 specimens are held in the member zoological communities worldwide. However, that number should rise with captive breeding underway at San Diego Zoo (C Hall pers. comm.).
In aviculture, there are eight species of Coracias rollers that are commonly kept (in particular the European, C. garrulous; Lilacbreasted, C. caudata; Indian Blue, C. benghalensis; and Raquettailed, C. spatulata) (Vince 1996), however no reference has been found regarding Dollarbirds being kept in private aviculture.