Guinea turaco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Guinea turaco |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Tauraco
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| Species: |
persa
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| Distribution of the Guinea turaco | |
| Synonyms | |
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Cuculus persa Linnaeus, 1758 |
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The Guinea turaco (Tauraco persa) is a beautiful bird from Africa. It's also known as the green turaco or green lourie because of its bright colors. This bird belongs to a group called turacos, which are known for their vibrant feathers.
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What Does It Look Like?
The Guinea turaco is about 40 to 43 centimeters (16 to 17 inches) long, including its long tail. It usually weighs between 225 and 290 grams (8 to 10 ounces).
Its feathers are mostly a shiny green and blue. Its tail and wings are a dark purplish color. When it flies, you can clearly see its bright crimson (deep red) feathers on its wings!
On its head, it has a cool, green crest that can stand up. Around its eyes, there are patches of red and white. Its beak is thick and red.
There are a few types, or subspecies, of Guinea turacos. One type, called Tauraco persa buffoni, has a white line above and in front of its eye, and a black line below its eye. Other types have an extra white line below the black one.
This bird also has a loud call. It sounds like cawr-cawr and can be repeated 10 to 16 times!
How It Got Its Name
The Guinea turaco was first officially described in 1758 by a Swedish scientist named Carl Linnaeus. He is famous for creating the system we use today to name living things.
Linnaeus first put this bird in the same group as cuckoos and gave it the scientific name Cuculus persa. The word "persa" is Latin and means "Persian." He based his description on drawings and notes from an English naturalist named George Edwards. Edwards had seen a "Touraco" that came from Guinea in West Africa.
Later, in 1779, a Polish naturalist named Jan Krzysztof Kluk placed the Guinea turaco in its own group, or genus, called Tauraco.
There are three main types, or subspecies, of Guinea turaco:
- T. p. buffoni: Found from Senegambia to Liberia.
- T. p. persa: Found in Ivory Coast and Ghana to west Cameroon.
- T. p. zenkeri: Found in south Cameroon, west Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, north Angola, Congo, and northwest Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Where Does It Live?
The Guinea turaco lives in West and Central Africa. You can find it in countries like Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has a very large area where it lives, and its population is stable.
These birds love to live in moist lowland forests, especially tropical rainforests. They often live near areas where people grow crops. They prefer forests with lots of tall trees, from sea level up to about 1,100 meters (3,600 feet) high.
Daily Life and Reproduction
Guinea turacos usually stay in one place and protect their territory. They eat many different kinds of wild and farmed tropical fruits, like figs. They also eat blossoms from flowers.
These birds don't fly very well. Instead, they prefer to climb and hop from branch to branch in the trees.
When it's time to have babies, the female turaco lays two eggs. They build their nest on a platform made of branches in a tree. The breeding season can vary depending on the country. For example, in Cameroon, they breed in May–June and August, while in Gabon, it's from December to February and June to September.
