| Great blue turaco | |
|---|---|
 | |
| InKibale Forest National Park, Uganda | |
| Call recorded atKakamega, Kenya | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Musophagiformes |
| Family: | Musophagidae |
| Genus: | Corythaeola Heine, 1860 |
| Species: | C. cristata |
| Binomial name | |
| Corythaeola cristata (Vieillot, 1816) | |
Thegreat blue turaco (Corythaeola cristata) is abird species of the familyMusophagidae. At 70–76 cm (28–30 in) in length, it is the largest species ofturaco.[2] It has predominantly grey-blue plumage with an upright blue-black crest around 10 cm (3.9 in) high. The male and female have similar plumage. It is widespread throughout theAfrican tropical rainforest.
French ornithologistLouis Pierre Vieillot described the great blue turaco asMusophaga cristata in 1816,[3] before German ornithologistFerdinand Heine placed it in its own genus in 1860.
The great blue turaco is the sole member of the subfamilyCorythaeolinae within the turaco family. Its closest relatives are the go-away birds and plantain eaters of the genusCrinifer. The common ancestor of both diverged from the ancestor of all other turaco species.[4]
"Great blue turaco" has been designated the officialcommon name by theInternational Ornithologists' Union (IOC).[5] It is also called blue plantain eater.[6]
Generally, the great blue turaco is 70–76 cm (28–30 in) in length with a mass of 800–1,231 g (1.764–2.714 lb).[7] The adult great blue turaco has predominantly grey-blue upperparts with an upright blue-black crest, white chin, yellow-green lower breast and yellow belly darkening to chestnut brown posteriorly. The undertail coverts are chestnut, and the undertail is black and yellowish. The yellow bill has an orange-red tip, the eyes are brown, and surrounded by a ring of black bare skin. The legs and feet are black with yellow soles. The sexes have similar plumage.[6]
The species ranges fromGuinea in the west, and east across the sub-Saharan nations to theImatong Mountains inSouth Sudan; it also occurs inUganda, Tanzania and western Kenya, south to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola. It inhabits rainforests and gallery forests. It has also adapted to areas cleared by humans and can thrive in these areas.[6]
The great blue turaco is gregarious, with birds forming small troops of some six or seven individuals.[6]
The great blue turaco eats leaves, flowers, as well as fruit of many plant species, including those of the generaMusanga,Cissus,Ficus (such asFicus capensis)Polyalthia,Heisteria,Dacryodes,Pachypodanthium,Uapaca,Strombosia,Trichilia,Drypetes,Viscum,Beilschmiedia,Coelocaryon,Croton, andPycnanthus. In Kenya, it has been recorded eating mitzeeri (Bridelia micrantha) in April, loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) in July, guava (Psidium guajava) in September andCordia africana over November and December.[6] Fieldwork in Rwanda revealed leaves constituted around 25% of its diet, being eaten more often when fruit is less abundant.[8] The species also play a role in seed dispersal as it generally passes seed in its faeces some distance from parent trees.[9]
The species nests in trees between 8 and 25 metres (26 and 82 ft) above the ground, and thenest is a platform of sticks. Both sexes incubate the clutch of two (rarely one or three) eggs over 29–31 days. The eggs are white or greenish-white and almost round, measuring 46–50 mm by 41–43 mm (1.8–2.0 in by 1.6–1.7 in).[6]
Highly regarded as food inWest Africa, it is often hunted and eaten by local people.[6] The BaMbala and related tribes around the town ofKikwit in the DRC, call the great blue turacokolonvo. The meat is popular in smaller villages, and the long tail feathers are prized for decorations. TheMbuti people of theIturi Rainforest in theDemocratic Republic of the Congo consider the great blue turaco (which they callkulkoko) to be associated withokapis, which they would warn of danger by calling loudly.[10][11] They also believe that eating the species while pregnant may result in a difficult delivery or birth deformity. It is also a clan totem animal and as such, cannot be eaten by members of that clan; if they do eat it their teeth are said to fall out.[11]
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Media related toCorythaeola cristata at Wikimedia Commons
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