Black-billed Turaco

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iBlack-billed Turaco
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Cuculiformes
Family: Musophagidae
Genus: Tauraco
Species: T. schuetti
Binomial name
Tauraco schuetti
(Cabanis, 1879)

The Black-billed Turaco, Tauraco schuetti, is a medium sized turaco, an endemic family to sub-Saharan Africa. It is a resident breeder in the forests of central Africa, found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, West Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and southern Sudan.

[edit] Description

40cm; ranging in weight from 199-272 g. Adult similar to Green Turaco, distinguished by small all black bill and rounded whitish crest. It lays two eggs in a platform of twigs around 3 or 5 metres above the ground. Both the male and female defend a territory and share with incubation duties.

Its call is a distinctive feature of the forests of the Congo, a resonant "kwah khaw kwah". In areas where its range overlaps with the Ruwenzori Turaco it will aggressively respond to the calls of that species. It is a widespread species, and is not threatened globally (CITES II).

[edit] References

  • BirdLife International (2004). Tauraco schuetti. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
  • Del Hoyo, Elliott and Sargatal (editors), Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol 4, ISBN 84-87334-22-9
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