Red-crested turaco

Tauraco erythrolophus

(Photo from Your Nature Photos)

Common name:
red-crested turaco (en); turaco-de-crista-vermelha (pt); touraco pauline (fr); turaco crestirrojo (es); rothaubenturako (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Cuculiformes
Family Musophagidae

Range:
This species is endemic to Angola, being found in the western and central parts of the country from the lower Congo to Chingoroi, and east to Malanje and the upper Cuanza.

Size:
These birds are 40-43 cm long and weigh 210-325 g.

Habitat:
The red-crested turaco is found in tropical rainforests and riverine forests.

Diet:
They are frugivorous taking various fruits and berries.

Breeding:
Red-crested turacos can breed all year round, but with a peak in April-October. The nest is a flimsy platform of twigs, placed on a tree 1,5-10 m above the ground. The female lays 2 white eggs which are incubated by both sexes for about 24 days. The chicks fledge 4-5 weeks after hatching but will remain dependent on the parents for several months. They reach sexual maturity at 1 year of age.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is reported to be locally common. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction, but the red-crested turaco is not considered threatened at present.

Violet turaco

Musophaga violacea

Photo by Jim Capaldi (Wikipedia)

Common name:
violet turaco (en); turaco-violeta (pt); touraco violet (fr); turaco violáceo (es); schildturako (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Cuculiformes
Family Musophagidae

Range:
This species is found in West Africa, from Senegal to Nigeria and northern Cameroon.

Size:
These birds are 45 cm long and weigh around 360 g.

Habitat:
The violet turaco is found in moist tropical forests and dry savannas, particularly in gallery forests along rivers and along forests edges. Also in rural gardens and in suburban parks and gardens. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.000 m.

Diet:
They feed on various fruits, berries and seeds.

Breeding:
Violet turacos nest in a fragile platform of twigs and sticks in a leafy tree, about 6 m above the ground. There the female lays 2 white eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for 25-26 days. there is no information regarding the fledging period, but the chicks are fed by both parents.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be locally common in several areas, and even very common in some places. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Purple-crested turaco

Tauraco porphyreolophus

(Photo from Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
purple-crested turaco (en); turaco-de-crista-violeta (pt); touraco à huppe splendide (fr); turaco crestimorado (es); glanzhaubenturako (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Cuculiformes
Family Musophagidae


Range:
This African species is found from Uganda and Tanzania to Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and eastern South Africa.


Size:
These birds are 40-46 cm long and weigh 200-290 g.


Habitat:
Purple-crested turacos are mostly found in dense moist woodlands and evergreen forests, often along river banks. They are also found in thick scrublands, coastal forests, plantations and rural gardens. These birds are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.850 m.


Diet:
They mostly eat the fruits of a wide variety of plants, mostly wild native plants but also cultivated fruits like guava and mulberry. They sometimes also eat insects and snails.


Breeding:
The purple-crested turaco breeds in August -February. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of a shallow cup made of twigs and sticks, placed in matted creepers, dense mistletoe or isolated thorn trees, up to 4 m above the ground. The female lays 2-4 eggs which are incubated by both parents for 21-25 days. The chicks fledge 3-5 weeks after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and, although the global population size has not been quantified, the species is reported to be localised but quite common in most parts of its southern African range. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and unsustainable levels of hunting in Tanzania, but they seem to be able to adapt to human interference better than other turacos, as they started to move into suburban gardens and alien vegetation.

Great blue turaco

Corythaeola cristata

Common name:

great blue turaco (en); turaco-gigante (pt); touraco géant (fr); turaco gigante (es); riesenturako (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Cuculiformes

Family Musophagidae

Range:

This African species is found throughout equatorial Africa, from Guinea and Sierra Leone, to the Central African Republic, D.R. Congo, Uganda and Kenya, and south to Rwanda and Burundi.

Size:

The largest of the turacos, these birds are 70-76 cm long and weigh 800-1.200 g.

Habitat:

The great blue turaco is found in the canopies of lowland, intermediate and mountain rainforests.

Diet:

They mostly eat fruits by plucking them from trees and scrubs. They also eat leaves, buds and flowers, and even algae.

Breeding:

Great blue turacos nest on a platform made of dry sticks, built by both sexes. There the female lays 2 blue-green eggs which are incubated by both parents for 29-31 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 5-6 weeks after hatching, but continue to be cared for by their parents for another 3 months.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and, although the global population size has not been quantified, the species is reported to be the most widespread of all turacos, and seems not uncommon in most of its range. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.