Let us introduce our smart dressers!
Photo by Tomo Akiyama Wildlife Japan
Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeloa cristata)
Adult has a red-tipped yellow bill and obvious black crest.
Immature has duller and small crest.
Great Blue does not have the red wings of other turaco.
Ross Turaco (Musophaga Rossae),
with a bulbous bright yellow bill, yellow eye patches,
and brilliant crimson crest and outer wings.
Startling crimson-red primary feathers,
which can easily be seen in flight.
| What is so special about feather colors of Turacos?? |
|
|
|
| Most "greens" in bird colors result from a yellow pigment such as some carotenoid,
combined with the prismatic physical structure of the feather itself
which scatters the light in a particular way and giving a blue color. On the other hand, the green color in Turacos comes from turacoverdin, the only true green pigment in birds known to date.
Turaco wings contain the red pigment turacin, unlike in other birds where red colour is due to carotenoids. The red and blue colors of Turaco's feather originally developed their pigments. That is unique about this bird! |
| | |
|
Where can I find Greate Blue Turaco
in Uganda?
They are found in western and central part of Africa. In Uganda, they live in central and southern part. Pairs and small parties are locally common in good forest, relict forest patches, secondary growth and well-treed farmland near by, from 700m-2500m.
Press "read more" for the full Script of the program
