Birds · Musophagiformes · Musophagidae

Hartlaub's Turaco

Tauraco hartlaubi

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Hartlaub's turaco is a green and blue turaco of the montane forests of Kenya and northern Tanzania, with a dark blue crest and a white patch above the eye. It is common in the forests of the Kenyan highlands and in the wooded gardens of Nairobi, where it is often seen hopping between branches with its short, heavy flight.

Weight

200 g – 300 g

Size

40 cm – 43 cm

Lifespan

18 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

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Fun facts

It is one of the few turacos to have thrived in built-up areas: the wooded gardens of Nairobi hold stable populations that feed on figs and ornamental trees.
Like all turacos it has turacoverdin and turacin, the only true green and red pigments in the bird world, both containing copper in the molecule.
Its call is a series of hoarse, rising barks that carry through the forest, and pairs answer their neighbours, forming chains of calls at dawn.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Montane forest, gallery forest and wooded gardens of Kenya and northern Tanzania
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Gestation / incubation: 22 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 2 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tauraco_hartlaubi