Gallirex porphyreolophus chlorochlamys

(Shelley, 1881)

Vernacular names
English : Purple-crested turaco
French : Touraco à huppe splendide

Classification
Class : Aves
Order : Musophagiformes
Family : Musophagidae
Notes : 1 other subspecies known

Identification
Adults can grow to 46 cm for a weight of 328 grams. Thick black bill, bright red eye-ring. Violet wings and tail, red flight feathers. Back and neck yellowish-green. Head iridescent green with violet crest. Subspecies with yellow-green breast.

Range and habitat
Subspecies found from southeast Kenya to Zambia, Malawi, north Mozambique. Species occurs in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and nearby South Africa. Lives in moist woodlands, coastal forests, parks and plantations, to 1850 m.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Appendix II
Status : The species is still locally common. Subspecies chlorochlamys is declining and could be threatened by habitat loss and over-trapping.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation
Hong Kong Zoo (Hong Kong)

 

Back to “Turacos and relatives” page