Hartlaub's Turaco
Tauraco hartlaubi
| Scientific name | Tauraco hartlaubi |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | Least Concern |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Musophagiformes |
| Family | Musophagidae |
| Size | Length about 41-43 cm; weight about 200-270 g |
How to identify
Deep green and blue turaco with a glossy blue-black crest, a white spot before the eye and a white line below it, a red bill, and crimson flight feathers shown in flight.
Habitat
Montane and highland forests, forest edges, and well-wooded gardens of East Africa
Diet
Mainly fruit and berries, supplemented by leaves, buds, and flowers
When it is active
Diurnal; moves through the canopy with agile hops and glides, often heard before it is seen
Where it lives
Highlands of Kenya, northern Tanzania, and eastern Uganda in East Africa
How to spot it
Explore highland forest edges and gardens around Nairobi, Aberdares, and Arusha at dawn when birds call and feed on fruit
Photography tips
Wait at a fruiting tree with a fast lens; try to capture the moment it lifts a wing to reveal the crimson flight feathers
Threats
Localized loss of highland forest, but the species remains common in suitable habitat
Similar species
Similar green turacos overlap little in range; Hartlaub's is told by the white eye markings and dark blue crest of the highlands.
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