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Knysna Turaco - BirdForum Opus

Photo by xmesox
Wilderness, South Africa
Tauraco corythaix

Identification

Length 40-47 cm (15¾-18½ in), mass 280-350 g.
Adult

  • Red bill is short with a decurved upper mandible
  • Brown eye with deep red eye ring, and is underlined with a white stripe
  • Dark blue-green tail and wing coverts
  • Bright red primary flight feathers (conspicuous in flight, but difficult to see on the folded wing)
  • Tall, rounded crest, which is green, tipped white

Variations

Subspecies phoebus has a more intense dark blue gloss on the wings and back.

Similar Species

Similar to Livingstone's Turaco, which has a taller, pointed crest.

Distribution

Graphic by Nrg800

Southern and eastern South Africa and northern eSwatini.

Taxonomy

The Knysna Turaco, Livingstone's Turaco and Schalow's Turaco (the green Turacos of southern Africa) were previously regarded as conspecific. However, their treatment as separate species is supported by morphological, vocal and molecular evidence.

Subspecies

Tauraco corythaix has two subspecies[1]:

Habitat

They are to be found in forest, both coastal and inland at heights up to 1800 m.

Behaviour

Diet

They feed on fruit, insects and earthworms.

Breeding

The nest is a platform placed in leafy trees or dense creepers. One to three eggs are laid May to February.

Vocalisation

Call: is a harsh, deep barking woop, woop, woop, korr, korr, korr, korr, korr, korr, ..... (up to 14 notes).

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Claassens A & Marais E. 2008. Species information page - Knysna Turaco (Lourie). SASOL Bird e-Guide. www.birdlife.org.za/fieldguide. Downloaded 25 January 2008.
  3. Hockey, PAR, WRJ Dean, and PG Ryan, eds. 2005. Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa. 7th ed. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 978-0620340533

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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