Eurasian Roller’s Dinner Derby

Despite their beautiful blue plumes, Eurasian Rollers have earned a rather unflattering nickname: vomit birds. Nestlings of this species have developed a crude but effective form of self-defense, vomiting when they are afraid in order to make themselves less appetizing. Eurasian rollers inhabit corners of the Middle East, Europe, central Asia, and Morocco.

This image was a Top 100 photo from the 2011 Audubon Magazine Photography Awards. To see all of the photos, click here.