Scientific Name:
Musophaga violacea
Distribution
Midwest Africa.
Diet:
Mainly frugivore. Fruits (figs favoured), berries, seeds.
Facts
Habitat: Forests along watercourses or savannas, forest edges, suburban parks, gardens.
Incubation: 25-26 days, 2 eggs
Social structure: Small flocks of 10-12 birds
Weight: 360g
Dimensions: 50cm
Lifespan: 5-10 in the wild, 30 under human care
Estimated population in the wild: Common
IUCN Status: Least Concern
Threats: There are no major threats to this species.
Did you know that:
- Although they spend all their time in the trees, they are actually not very good fliers. Instead, they jump from tree to tree using their broad tails for balance.
- The red colour in their feathers is created from a copper pigment called turacin, unique to turacos.