Great Blue Turaco
Corythaeola cristata
Wonderful, cartoonish bird. Note the tall black crest and the red-and-yellow bill. The tail pattern is distinctive in flight: note the black bar across the end of the tail and the pale green sides. Found in rainforest, gallery forest, and lush secondary habitat. Usually in small groups. Gives two distinctive calls, sometimes in conjunction: a deep “jeeeow” and a rapid, cackling series of incredibly loud notes.
Identification
Generally, the great blue turaco is 70–76 cm (28–30 in) in length with a mass of 800–1,231 g (1.764–2.714 lb). The adult great blue turaco has predominantly gray-blue upperparts with an upright blue-black crest, white chin, yellow-green lower breast and yellow belly darkening to chestnut brown posteriorly. The undertail coverts are chestnut, and the undertail is black and yellowish. The yellow bill has an orange-red tip, the eyes are brown, and surrounded by a ring of black bare skin. The legs and feet are black with yellow soles. The sexes have similar plumage.
Taxonomy
French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot described the great blue turaco as Musophaga cristata in 1816, before German ornithologist Ferdinand Heine placed it in its own genus in 1860.<p>The great blue turaco is the sole member of the subfamily Corythaeolinae within the turaco family. Its closest relatives are the go-away birds and plantain eaters of the genus Crinifer. The common ancestor of both diverged from the ancestor of all other turaco species.<p>"Great blue turaco" has been designated the official common name by the International Ornithologists' Union (IOC). It is also called blue plantain eater.
- Scientific name
- Corythaeola cristata
- Authority
- (Vieillot, 1816)
- Order
- Musophagiformes
- Family
- Musophagidae
- Genus
- Corythaeola
Range and habitat
The species ranges from Guinea in the west, and east across the sub-Saharan nations to the Imatong Mountains in South Sudan; it also occurs in Uganda, Tanzania and western Kenya, south to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola. It inhabits rainforests and gallery forests. It has also adapted to areas cleared by humans and can thrive in these areas.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The great blue turaco is gregarious, with birds forming small troops of some six or seven individuals.<p>The great blue turaco eats leaves, flowers, as well as fruit of many plant species, including those of the genera Musanga, Cissus, Ficus (such as Ficus capensis) Polyalthia, Heisteria, Dacryodes, Pachypodanthium, Uapaca, Strombosia, Trichilia, Drypetes, Viscum, Beilschmiedia, Coelocaryon, Croton, and Pycnanthus. In Kenya, it has been recorded eating mitzeeri (Bridelia micrantha) in April, loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) in July, guava (Psidium guajava) in September and Cordia africana over November and December. Fieldwork in Rwanda revealed leaves constituted around 25% of its diet, being eaten more often when fruit is less abundant. The species also play a role in seed dispersal as it generally passes seed in its faeces some distance from parent trees.<p>The species nests in trees between 8 and 25 metres (26 and 82 ft) above the ground, and the nest is a platform of sticks. Both sexes incubate the clutch of two (rarely one or three) eggs over 29–31 days. The eggs are white or greenish-white and almost round, measuring 46–50 mm by 41–43 mm (1.8–2.0 in by 1.6–1.7 in).
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Spotted Eagle-Owl
Bubo africanus
A large, gray-brown owl with bright yellow eyes, erect ear-tufts, and finely-barred belly and lower breast. The default large owl throughout its range; occurrs in a broad range of lightly-wooded habitats, including suburbia. The typical call is a soft, booming “whooo-whooo” or “whoo-are-you?”. The similar Cape Eagle-Owl is larger, prefers cliffs and gullies, has a heavily-blotched upper breast, and has burnt-orange eyes. Grayish Eagle-Owl is more heavily barred and has dark-brown eyes.
Pink-rumped Rosefinch
Carpodacus waltoni
Inhabits open areas such as edges and shrubby expanses. Male is streaky brown above and bright pink below with a similarly-colored brow that flares open towards the back. Averages paler and sandier brown on the back than Chinese and Himalayan Beautiful Rosefinches, and has a brighter and more extensive pink rump than either species. Female is brown and streaky and difficult to distinguish from other female rosefinches; look out for extensive and clear streaking all down the underparts, a weak pale brow, and a finely streaked crown. Usually gives sharp ticking and tinking calls.
Green-headed Oriole
Oriolus chlorocephalus
Old World oriole with mostly yellow plumage, a dull-green hood, and a red bill. Found in forest, forest edge, lush woodland, and adjacent secondary habitats, at low and middle elevations. Song is a series of slurred, liquid whistles, and calls include a raspy, up-slurred whine. Similar to African Black-headed Oriole, but with a good view, easily separated by the green rather than black hood. Often found in the same areas as Eurasian Golden and African Golden Orioles, but distinguished by being hooded rather than yellow-headed.
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