Red-crested turaco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red-crested turaco |
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| Red-crested turaco, Niagara Falls Aviary, Canada | |
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Tauraco
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| Species: |
erythrolophus
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The red-crested turaco (Tauraco erythrolophus) is a beautiful bird from Africa. It belongs to a group of birds called turacos. This special bird loves to eat fruit, which means it is a frugivorous animal. You can only find the red-crested turaco living in the wild in western Angola, a country in Africa. People sometimes say its call sounds a bit like a monkey in the jungle!
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What Does a Red-crested Turaco Look Like?
The red-crested turaco is a medium-sized bird. It usually weighs between 210 and 325 grams, which is about as much as a can of soda. From its head to its tail, it measures about 45 to 50 centimeters long. That's roughly the length of a school ruler!
This bird has bright, colorful feathers. It looks a bit like another bird called the Bannerman's turaco. However, the red-crested turaco has different colors on its crest (the feathers on top of its head) and face. Both male and female red-crested turacos look very similar, so it can be hard to tell them apart just by looking.
How Do Red-crested Turacos Behave?
Red-crested turacos are social birds. You might see them in small groups or even in larger flocks of up to 30 birds. Sometimes, they prefer to hang out in pairs. These birds love to stay high up in the trees. They only come down to the ground when they need to find food or get a drink of water.
What Do Red-crested Turacos Eat?
These birds have a varied diet. They enjoy eating many different things found in their forest home. Their meals often include:
- Insects
- Fruits (they are especially fond of figs!)
- Nuts
- Leaves
- Flowers
- Seeds
- Parts of acacia plants
Interestingly, red-crested turacos can even eat some berries that would be poisonous to humans. This shows how special their bodies are!
What Does a Turaco's Voice Sound Like?
Red-crested turacos are quite noisy birds! They make a deep, barking sound. If you listen closely, you might notice that the female's call is a little higher-pitched than the male's. They are especially vocal and loud when the sun comes up in the morning.
Red-crested Turaco Reproduction and Life Cycle
Red-crested turacos are known to be monogamous. This means that a male and female bird will stay together as a pair to raise their young.
Building a Nest
Both the male and female turaco work together to build their nest. They usually choose a spot high up in a tree, often between 5 and 20 meters above the ground. They like to build their nests in dense groups of leaves, which helps to hide the nest from predators. Their nests are often described as "flimsy," meaning they are not very strong or sturdy.
Raising the Young
After the female lays her eggs, both parents take turns sitting on them to keep them warm. This process is called incubation. Once the chicks hatch, they grow quickly. The young turacos are ready to leave the nest when they are about 4 to 5 weeks old.
The National Bird of Angola
The red-crested turaco is a very important bird in Angola. It is the official national bird of this country. You can find these beautiful birds quite often along the Angolan escarpment, which is a long, steep slope of land, and in the nearby forest areas.
Images for kids
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At San Diego Zoo, U.S.
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At Weltvogelpark Walsrode, Germany
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At Pombia Safari Park, Italy
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At Brevard Zoo, Florida
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At Zoo Leipzig, Germany.
