A Turaco is a type of medium-sized, arboreal (tree-dwelling) bird which is endemic (only native) to Central and Southern Africa. There are 23 different species of Turaco and they inhabit dense forests and woodlands and rarely savannas. They feed mainly on fruit, but also periodically on leaves, flowers and insects. The Turacos belong to the order Cuculiformes along with the cuckoos, roadrunners and hoatzin. They are also often referred to as go-away birds or plantain eaters, which influences the name given to the Turaco family, Musophagidae (banana eaters). This name is very misleading however as plantain and banana was introduced to Africa by people fairly recently, from Asia.
There is still much to learn about Turacos as little research has been done on them, particularly with regards to their breeding habits. However, it is known that they are monogamous but some reports suggest that they are social breeders (other related birds help out with the feeding and defending of the young). However, this is only confirmed in one species and Turacos successfully breed with a single pair in captivity.
Unique colors
Turacos are brightly colored birds, usually blue, green or purple. The color of feathers in all birds are produced in two main ways:
- Light refraction – bending of light off feather structures so that a particular color is produced.
- Pigment – colored substances.
In most birds, the majority of coloration is produced with the refraction of light. Some birds produce just a few pigments but many more colors are achieved simply by bending the light in different ways on different feathers. For example, the color green is produced in most birds by a thin layer of yellow cells that lay on top of particles that scatter blue light. However, turacos possess two vivid color pigments that are unique to only them. A green pigment called Turacoverdin and a red pigment called Turacin. This green pigment found in Turacos is the only true green pigment found in birds.
Getting thru the trees
When Turacos first hatch they become independent very quickly, venturing out of the nest within a few days. Four weeks later and several days before the chick can fly, it leaves the nest all together. These chicks hatch with a very interesting adaptation to enhance their ability to maneuver amongst the branches. The joints of their wings are equipped with tiny claws which they will use to “grab” hold of adjoining branches as they climb through. This claw disappears by the time they reach fully maturity.
Turacos are weak flyers but they are excellent at running through the trees and as they do this you can see their affinity to the roadrunners. Their feet are described as semi-zygodactylous because the fourth toe points out sideways and can be pointed forwards or backwards depending on the bird's needs.
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The Hartlaub's Turaco has very dark green upper body with a prominent white patch in front of the eye. They are found in montane forests in the highlands of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. They are typically found in pairs or family groups but can also aggregate in large numbers on favorite fruiting trees. The Hartlaub's Turaco mostly feeds on fruits and berries, but will also consume flowers, caterpillars, moths and beetles. This species is quite common in Kenya but the numbers in Tanzania have seriously declined as they frequently trap them to be sold in the pet trade. Therefore they have been labeled as a threatened species, Cites appendix II.