turaco

turaco, (order Musophagiformes), any of about 18 species in six genera of colourful, fruit-eating African birds. The green and iridescent turacos (Tauraco, Musophaga, and Corythaeola) are primarily residents of dense broad-leaved evergreen forest; the grayer forms (Crinifer), most of which are called go-away birds (because the calls of some are “g’way, g’way”), are found in more open woodland, including savanna.

Turacos are remarkable for their coloration. Some are predominantly gray, brown, and white, but the 10 species of the genus Tauraco and the 2 species of Musophaga possess a unique and beautiful red pigment, turacin, and a green pigment, turacoverdin. The former occurs in the wing feathers of all 12 species and in the crests of a few; turacoverdin is found in the body plumage of these species and some of Corythaixoides. Most turacos also have prominent head crests.

Long-tailed and short-winged, turacos vary in size from approximately 35 cm (14 inches) in the predominantly green and blue species of Tauraco to about 70 cm (28 inches) in the great blue turaco (Corythaeola cristata). They spend their time entirely in trees in search of fruit, taking a few invertebrates.

They are social, moving in small, noisy flocks, but they nest solitarily. The nest is made up of a flat platform of twigs, placed in trees often at considerable height. In forest species the male walks or leaps among branches with his tail fanned and with his wings half-spread, displaying the crimson wing patches during courtship. Courtship feeding has also been observed, the male regurgitating fruit pulp or presenting whole fruit to the female. Two or three white eggs are laid, producing young with thick down that are able to clamber about at an early age aided by well-developed claws on their wings.

The calls of turacos are described as barking or laughing notes given in a series. A few species utter softer cooing notes.