Grey Go-away-bird - BirdForum Opus

Alternative name: Grey Lourie

Photo by Paul Tavares
Mount Grace, near Johannesburg, South Africa, September 2006

Crinifer concolor

Corythaixoides concolor

Identification

47–50 cm (18½-19¾in), Mass 202-340 g.

• Plain grey overall plumage
• Brown eye
• Black bill, legs and feet

Distribution

Southern Africa; as far north as Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania. Rare south of 29°S.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Photo by Glazzers
Kruger National Park, South Africa, August 2003

Corythaixoides concolor has four subspecies^[1]:

• C. c. concolor molybdophanes:

• North-eastern Angola to southern Zaire, Zambia, southern Tanzania and northern Mozambique

• C. c. concolor pallidiceps:

• Western Angola to southern Namibia and western Botswana

• C. c. concolor bechuanae:

• Southern Angola to north-eastern Namibia, Botswana, southern Zambia and western Transvaal

• C. c. concolor concolor:

• Southern Malawi and northern Mozambique to eastern Transvaal and eastern Zululand

Habitat

Woodland, savanna and, in arid areas, riverine woodlands.

Behaviour

In pairs or small groups. Alert and inquisitive, these birds are highly vocal when alarmed; their loud, nasal kwê or kwaa often alerts other wildlife of the approach of a predator (or photographer).

Diet

Agile in trees, where it forages for fruit, flowers, buds, leaves. Insects and nestlings are also eaten.

Breeding

The nest is an simple platform of sticks in a tree, usually at a height of 3-10 m above the ground. One to four pale blue eggs are laid; the incubation period is 26-28 days.

References

1. Clements, J. F., P. C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2023. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2023. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Gibbon, G. 2002. Roberts' Multimedia Birds of Southern Africa: Version 3. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. www.sabirding.co.za

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Grey Go-away-bird. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 30 April 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Grey_Go-away-bird

External Links

Thread discussing the name.

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