Turacos are long-tailed birds that belong to the banana-eating family. Their average size is 40-70 cm. These birds have a feathery tuft on their heads. It is like an indicator of mood, it stands up on end when a bird is in excitement. In the nature there are 22 species of turako. Their habitat is the savanna and forests of Africa.
These feathered forest dwellers are characterized by bright purple, blue, green and red plumage. Turacos come in a variety of colors. Let us acquaint you with the different species of turaco. The purple turaco is one of the larger species of banana eater. Its length reaches 0.5 m, and its wings and tail 22 cm.
The body of this beautiful bird is decorated with delicate, soft red plumage. The young have no such crest, it appears only with age. The rest of the feathers are of dark-purple tint, and the lower part of the body is dark green. The wings are blood-red, dark purple at the end.
No plumage around brown eyes. The legs are black. The habitat of the purple turaco is part of Lower Guinea and Upper Guinea. The Livingstone’s turaco is a medium-sized bird. The elite of African society adorns their headdresses with the feathers of this species of turaco.
Their coloration is influenced by pigments (turacin and turaverdin). Water turns red on contact with turacin, and green after turaverdin. This wonder-bird looks especially smart after the rain. At that time, it sparkles like an emerald. It is found in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, South Africa, partly in Mozambique.
Red-crested turaco like the Livingstone turaco has red and green plumage. A distinctive feature of this species is the red crest. Its length is 5 cm. The crest becomes puffy when the bird experiences anxiety, danger and excitement. These birds occupy the territory from Angola to Congo.
Representatives of the Guinean turaco come in different races. The northern races are distinguished by their single-colored, rounded crests of green. The rest of the Guinean turaco has a pointed tuft of 2 colors.
The upper part of the crest is white or blue and the lower part is green. These birds have a rare pigment, turaverdine. It contains copper. Therefore, their plumage has a metallic luster of green. The adult size is 42 cm. Birds live from Senegal to Zaire and Tanzania.
Turaco hartlauba or Blue-tailed Turaco is a medium sized bird. Body length 40-45 cm and weighs 200-300 g. In the coloration present red and green. Red predominantly on the fly feathers. Some pigments present in the plumage of bluefinches are washed away by water. For their habitat, they choose wooded highlands at an altitude of 1500-3200 m, urban gardens of East Africa.
Character and lifestyle of the turaco bird
All turaco birds lead a sedentary lifestyle in tall trees. They are rather secretive birds. Flocks consist of 12 to 15 individuals, but they do not fly over all at once, but one after another, like scouts. They perform their flights from tree to tree silently. Having found a bush with berries, these timid birds do not stay long, but simply visit it often.
Blue-spotted turaco try to return as quickly as possible to a large tree, where they feel safe. It is when they are safe that their cries echo throughout the neighborhood. When they are all together, these “wonderful birds” flap their wings and chase each other with a shriek.
They live in a variety of landscapes. Their habitats can include mountains, plains, savannahs, and tropical forests in equal measure. The area inhabited by families of turaco varies from 4 hectares to 2 km2 , depending on the size of the birds. Very rarely these birds come down to the ground, only in case of emergency.
They can be seen on the ground only during dust baths or watering. The rest of the time they spend hiding in the branches of trees. These birds are good at flying and crawling through trees. Turaco, like parrots, can easily survive in captivity. They are very unpretentious about food and have a lively disposition.
Food of a turako
Turaco belong to the family of banana eaters, although these birds do not eat bananas. They eat young shoots and leaves of tropical plants, exotic berries and fruits. An interesting fact is that several species of turaco eat some poisonous fruits that neither animals nor other birds eat.
They pluck the fruits of berries from trees and bushes, stuffing their stomachs with them. Exceptionally, turako may feed on insects, seeds, and even small reptiles. To eat large fruits, the bird uses its sharp, serrated beak. It is thanks to its sharp beak that it tears the rafts from the fruit stalks and cuts their shells to further divide them into smaller pieces.
