Green Turaco
Encyclopedia
The Guinea Turaco also known as the Green Turaco, is a species of turaco
, a group of near-passerines birds. It is found in forests of West
and Central Africa
, ranging from Senegal
east to DR Congo and south to northern Angola
. It lays two egg
s in a tree platform nest
. It formerly included the Livingstone's
, Schalow's
, Knysna
, Black-billed
and Fischer's Turaco
s as subspecies
.
The Guinea Turaco, often inconspicuous in the treetops, is approximately 43 cm long, including a long tail. The plumage
is largely green and the tail and wings are dark purplish, except for the crimson primary feathers that are very distinct in flight. In the westernmost subspecies
buffoni, which sometimes is known as the Buffon's Turaco, there is a white line above and in front of the eye and a black line below the eye. In the nominate subspecies of the central part of its range and zenkeri of the southeastern part there also is a second white line below the black line. Unlike similar turacos with red bills, even adult Guinea Turacos lack a white rear edge to the crest.
This species is a common in climax forest with plentiful tall trees. It feeds on fruit and blossoms.
The Guinea Turaco has a loud cawr-cawr call.
Turaco
The turacos make up the bird family Musophagidae , which includes plantain-eaters and go-away-birds. In southern Africa both turacos and go-away-birds are commonly known as louries. They are semi-zygodactylous - the fourth toe can be switched back and forth...
, a group of near-passerines birds. It is found in forests of West
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
and Central Africa
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
, ranging from Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
east to DR Congo and south to northern Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
. It lays two egg
Bird egg
Bird eggs are laid by females and incubated for a time that varies according to the species; a single young hatches from each egg. Average clutch sizes range from one to about 17...
s in a tree platform nest
Bird nest
A bird nest is the spot in which a bird lays and incubates its eggs and raises its young. Although the term popularly refers to a specific structure made by the bird itself—such as the grassy cup nest of the American Robin or Eurasian Blackbird, or the elaborately woven hanging nest of the...
. It formerly included the Livingstone's
Livingstone's Turaco
The Livingstone's Turaco is a species of bird in the Musophagidae family, which was named for Charles Livingstone, the brother of David Livingstone.It is distributed through the subtropical lowlands of southeastern Africa....
, Schalow's
Schalow's Turaco
The Schalow's Turaco is a frugivorous bird in the Musophagidae family. It is named after Herman Schalow. Mature birds have, on average, the longest crests of any turaco species....
, Knysna
Knysna Turaco
The Knysna Turaco , or, in South Africa, Knysna Lourie, is a large turaco, one of a group of African near-passerine birds. It is a resident breeder in the mature evergreen forests of southern and eastern South Africa, and Swaziland. It was formerly sometimes considered to be a subspecies of the...
, Black-billed
Black-billed Turaco
The Black-billed Turaco, Tauraco schuetti, is a medium sized turaco, an endemic family to sub-Saharan Africa. It is a resident breeder in the forests of central Africa, found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, West Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and southern Sudan.-Description:40 cm; ranging...
and Fischer's Turaco
Fischer's Turaco
Fischer's Turaco is a species of bird in the Musophagidae family.It is found in Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, and arable land.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:*...
s as subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
.
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
is largely green and the tail and wings are dark purplish, except for the crimson primary feathers that are very distinct in flight. In the westernmost subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
buffoni, which sometimes is known as the Buffon's Turaco, there is a white line above and in front of the eye and a black line below the eye. In the nominate subspecies of the central part of its range and zenkeri of the southeastern part there also is a second white line below the black line. Unlike similar turacos with red bills, even adult Guinea Turacos lack a white rear edge to the crest.
This species is a common in climax forest with plentiful tall trees. It feeds on fruit and blossoms.
The Guinea Turaco has a loud cawr-cawr call.