Red-crested turaco

Red-crested turaco
Red-crested turaco, Niagara Falls Aviary, Canada
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Musophagiformes
Family:	Musophagidae
Genus:	Tauraco
Species:	T. erythrolophus
Binomial name
Tauraco erythrolophus (Vieillot, 1819)

The red-crested turaco (Tauraco erythrolophus) is a turaco, a group of African otidimorph birds. It is a frugivorous bird endemic to western Angola. Its call sounds somewhat like a jungle monkey.

Description

The red-crested turaco weighs 210-325 g and is 45–50 cm long. It looks similar to the Bannerman's turaco, but differs in crest and face colors. Both sexes are similar. ^[2]

Behaviour

They are seen in flocks of up to 30 birds, or in pairs. They usually remain in trees, only coming down to eat or drink. ^[2] Their diet consists of insects, fruits, nuts, leaves, flowers, seeds, acacia, and figs. They are even able to eat berries that are poisonous to humans. ^[3]

Voice

A deep barking call. the female's call is slightly higher-pitched than the male's. They are highly vocal, particularly at dawn. ^[2]

Reproduction

Red-crested turacos are monogamous. Both mates build a flimsy nest 5 to 20 meters above the ground in dense foliage. After laying eggs, both birds incubate the eggs. The young leave the nest at 4–5 weeks old. ^[2]

As a national bird

The red-crested turaco is the national bird of Angola. It occurs quite commonly along the length of the Angolan escarpment and adjacent forested habitats. ^[4]

In media

A red-crested turaco was featured in 1998's The Parent Trap , as the bird pecking Meredith's chest shortly before she wakes up to discover Annie and Hallie have floated her camping mattress onto a lake. This scene of the film is set in Northern California, so the choice of this bird species is distinctly out of place.

Gallery

• 
  At San Diego Zoo, U.S.
• 
  At Weltvogelpark Walsrode, Germany
• 
  At Pombia Safari Park, Italy
• 
  At Brevard Zoo, Florida
• 
  At Zoo Leipzig, Germany.

References

1. BirdLife International (2016). "Tauraco erythrolophus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22688346A93193784. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22688346A93193784.en . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
2. "Red-crested Turaco". www.oiseaux-birds.com. Retrieved 2018-04-20.
3. "Red-Crested Turaco".
4. "Birds Angola - National Bird". www.birdsangola.org. Retrieved 2017-07-11.