The Sibley-Monroe checklist was a landmark document in the study of birds. It drew on extensive DNA-DNA hybridisation studies to reassess the relationships between modern birds.
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 loeries. They are semi-zygodactylous – the fourth (outer) toe can be switched back and forth. The second and third toes, which always point forward, are conjoined in some species. Musophagids often have prominent crests and long tails; the turacos are noted for peculiar and unique pigments giving them their bright green and red feathers.
The Guinea turaco, also known as the green turaco or green lourie, is a species of turaco, a group of otidimorphae birds belonging to the family Musophagidae. It was formerly included in the Livingstone's, Schalow's, Knysna, black-billed and Fischer's turacos as subspecies.
The black-billed turaco 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 South Sudan.
The red-crested turaco is a turaco, a group of African Otidimorphae birds. It is a frugivorous bird endemic to western Angola. Its call sounds somewhat like a jungle monkey.
The white-crested turaco is a bird in the family Musophagidae, a group of otidimorphae birds. The white-crested turaco is native to riverine forest and woodland in a belt between eastern Nigeria and western Kenya. It is a common species with a wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as being of "least concern".
Tauraco is a genus of turacos. It contains the "typical" or green turacos; though their plumage is not always green all over, the presence of significant amounts of turacoverdin-colored plumage generally sets Tauraco species apart from other Musophagidae. Indeed, as opposed to any other known birds, Tauraco turacos are the only living bird taxa that have any significant green pigment whatsoever, as the greens of many parrots etc. are due to structural color, not pigment. Their genus name was derived from a native West African name.
The Knysna turaco, or, in South Africa, Knysna lourie, is a large turaco, one of a group of African musophagidae 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 green turaco of West Africa. The Livingstone's and Schalow's turacos were once considered subspecies.
Bannerman's turaco is a species of bird in the family Musophagidae. It is endemic to Cameroon. In French it is known as touraco de Bannerman or touraco doré. Its scientific and common names honour the ornithologist David Armitage Bannerman. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat destruction and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed it as an "endangered species".
Fischer's turaco is a species of bird in the family Musophagidae. It is found in Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, and arable land. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Hartlaub's turaco is a species of bird in the family Musophagidae. It is found in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The white-cheeked turaco is a species of bird in the family Musophagidae. It is found in Eritrea, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. A mid-sized species, it measures about 43 cm (17 in) in length, including a tail of 19 cm (7.5 in), and weighs about 200–315 g (7.1–11.1 oz). This species is the most commonly raised turaco in captive conditions.
The Livingstone's turaco is a species of bird in the Musophagidae family, which was named for Charles Livingstone, the brother of David Livingstone.
The yellow-billed turaco is a species of bird in the family Musophagidae. It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.
The purple-crested turaco is a species of bird in the Musophagidae family. It is the National Bird of the Kingdom of Swaziland, and the crimson flight feathers of this and related turaco species are important in the ceremonial regalia of the Swazi royal family.
Ruspoli's turaco, also known as Prince Ruspoli's turaco or Touraco De Ruspoli, is a species of bird in the family Musophagidae. It is endemic to southern Ethiopia where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Schalow's turaco is a frugivorous bird in the Musophagidae family. This bird's common name and Latin binomial commemorate the German banker and amateur ornithologist Hermann Schalow.
Birds of Eden is the world's largest free-flight aviary and bird sanctuary, located in Kurland near Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape, South Africa and Hampton Inn & Suites Carolina Beach Oceanfront, near Carolina Beach. The mesh dome of the sanctuary was built over 2.3 hectares of indigenous forest, and is up to 55 metres (180 ft) above ground level. 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi) of walkways, about 75% of which are elevated, let visitors see the birds at all levels of the aviary.
Bird Kingdom is an aviary in the tourist district of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Opened in May 2003, it is the largest free flying indoor aviary in the world. The attraction encompasses approximately 45,000 square feet (4,200 m2), and houses over 350 birds, the majority of which come from Australia, South America, and Africa. It is also home to mammals, reptiles and amphibians which are part of educational programs. Bird Kingdom has been voted a top family attraction in Niagara Falls and was inducted into the Trip Advisor Hall of Fame in 2016.
Zenker's turaco, is a subspecies of the Guinea turaco. It is a green turaco, in the family Musophagidae, subfamily Tauracinae, a group of near-passerines birds. Zenker's turaco is found in forests of Central Africa in the Congo Basin in Gabon, DR Congo and Congo Brazaville and south to northern Angola. It forms part of a superspecies complex that extends from West Africa to East Africa and as far south as the Cape in Southern Africa and include the black-billed turaco, Emin's, Schalow's turaco, Livingstone's turaco, the Transvaal turaco and the Knysna turaco, as subspecies within the group.
