Red-crested turaco
These attractive birds are endemic to Angola, where they inhabit jungles, savannah and gallery forests. They feed mainly on fruit and other vegetables, although they catch some insects. Their plumage features two pigments that do not exist in any other bird: turacine (red) and turacoverdin (green). The red colour is found under the wings and is only visible when they are in flight.
Breeding program
Natural habit
Angola forests south of the Congo River
- Distribution / Resident
- Breeding
- Wintering
- Subspecies
Risk level
- Extint
- Extint in the wild
- Critically endangered
- In Danger
- Vulnerable
- Near threatened
- Minor concern
- Insufficient data
- Not evaluated
Taxonomy
Physical characteristics
Biology
Reproduction
Discover how they are
Biology
The red-crested turaco is a mid-sized bird that is truly spectacular, with a colour combination that is nearly implausible. It has a white face and yellow neck and breast. The underbelly is dark, almost black, and the wings are green, with reddish primary or flight feathers. The tail is an electric blue and its head has a highly conspicuous red crest that runs to its nape. The bill is yellow. Turacos’ plumage has two pigments unique to the entire bird world: turacine (a red colour) and turacoverdin (a green colour). The red is mainly under their wings and only visible when they fly.
These striking birds are endemic to Angola, where they inhabit the jungles, plains and gallery forests.
They feed primarily on fruits and other vegetables, although they may also eat insects.
Although there is little information on this matter, one would glean that its breeding habits are similar to that of other turaco species.
Probably sedentary throughout its habitat.
It is not endangered in the majority of its area of distribution, although in recent years it has suffered from reduction and destruction of its habitat. The Barcelona Zoo participates in this species’ ESB.
