The Indian roller is a bird of the family Coraciidae. It is 30–34 cm (12–13 in) long with a wingspan of 65–74 cm (26–29 in) and weighs 166–176 g (5.9–6.2 oz). The face and throat are pinkish, the head and back are brown, and the rump is blue. The brightly contrasting light and dark blue markings on the wings and tail are prominent in flight. The sexes appear similar. It occurs widely from West Asia to the Indian subcontinent. Often found perched on roadside trees and wires, it is common in open grassland and scrub forest habitats, and has adapted well to human-modified landscapes. It mainly feeds on insects, especially beetles. The species is best known for the aerobatic displays of males during the breeding season. Adult males and females form pair bonds, raising the young together. The female lays three to five eggs in a cavity or crevice, lined with a mat of straw or feathers. It is the state bird of three Indian states.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_roller

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1792:

French Revolution: Due to an overwhelming fear that foreign armies would attack Paris and prisoners would revolt, revolutionaries began the summary execution of more than a thousand prisoners. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_Massacres

1885:

White miners in Rock Springs, Wyoming, attacked Chinese- American immigrants, killing at least 28 Chinese miners and causing approximately $150,000 in property damage. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Springs_massacre

1945:

On the deck of the U.S. Navy battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay, representatives from the Empire of Japan and the Allied powers signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, formally ending World War II. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Instrument_of_Surrender

2011:

Bad weather caused a Chilean Air Force aircraft to crash into the Pacific Ocean, killing all 21 people on board. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Chilean_Air_Force_C-212_crash

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

Olympiad: 1. (Ancient Greece, sports, historical) 2. A period of four (or sometimes five) years by which the ancient Greeks reckoned time, being the interval from one celebration of the Olympic Games to another, beginning with the victory of Coroebus of Elis in the foot race which took place in 776 B.C.E. 3. Synonym of Olympic Games (“a celebration of the ancient Olympic Games”) 4. (by extension) 5. (sports) A period of four years between occurrences of the modern Olympic Games. 6. (sports) Synonym of Olympic Games (“an occurrence of the modern Olympic Games”) 7. Usually preceded by a descriptive word: a competition or series of competitions involving an academic discipline (such as mathematics or science), game (such as chess), or sport. 8. An occasion where some activity is participated in excessively or to a high level of achievement. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Olympiad

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Some day you will know for yourself that it is almost as true to say that one recovers from all things as that there is nothing which does not leave its scar.   --Paul Bourget https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Paul_Bourget