The closest relatives of the cuckoo – birds, Turaco. They have another name – bananoid. We will talk about this strikingly beautiful bird, like a parrot. Looks like turaco, what are they, where to live and what to eat? All in good time.
Most of all turaco – it is big blue banned, which is a medium-sized bird, body length of about 70 centimeters. They are very bad at flying, but due to its strong foot – perfect jump.
In Africa, these birds are home to over twenty species. All individuals have unique exotic color, which does not leave indifferent neither one man.
The pen color is so varied and rich in all colors of the rainbowthat makes birds like fairy-tale characters. Especially the light in the sunlight, then the bird becomes even more unusual, her feathers shimmer like precious stones.
Everything else from the ground, striking the tail, which in extended form is not worse than peacock. It’s not just the tail, it is big, bright and multi-colored fan that is impossible to look away. On top of the sticks banned crest. Wings short, rounded.
Turaco incredibly beautiful birds. Oddly enough, they don’t differ much in appearance, depending on sex. The habitat of these birds , as a rule, steppes, forests and savannas, but where would Turako neither lived, it definitely needs trees. This is a popular place for turako. Socket bananoid twist does not know how, they have always, messy. Something it reminds a pigeon – flat, chaotic. But under this exterior, one drawback could be forgiven.
One female at a time lays two eggs. The young hatch completely naked and only after a while, their skin is gradually covered with feathers, they live for about 50 days.
Chicks develop rather slowly:
- the eggs hatch 3-4 weeks;
- from hatching Chicks, to the time of departure from nest is about 40 days;
The Chicks, covered with down, can’t fly. But thanks to the structure of his wing, which is a claw, they are gorgeous and very clever at climbing trees. And only a week later they come out of the nest and trying to learn to fly for short distances.
Adult turaco very active, they jump from branch to branch so well that it’s sometimes even unnoticed. In their natural environment bananoid feel comfortable and be incredibly energetic. Without movement you can see them except during meals. And then, rarely. As a rule, banned, breaking the berry, then jump to another branch or tree. Your presence turaco will announce loud tropical Creek. It’s not Nightingale’s song, it’s hard and rough Creek. Bananoid bad vocalists, pulling songs or music singing from them will not hear.
The basis of the diet of turako – plant food: shoots of trees, fruits and berries. Despite its name, bananoid are not fans of bananas. It is unknown why they were named that way, but certainly not because of eating habits.
There are 14 species of bananoid. Next, tell briefly about some of them.
Barnacle turaco
Ornament of the family of bananoid is a Barnacle of turaco. It’s a small bird, but its color is simply stunning. Around the eyes and on the cheeks of the bird are white feathers, at the same time, the basic plumage it bright and colorful. White and decorated with the bird’s tail. The comb on the head of turako has celadon. It is the scallop and gave this bird the name of the second – hohlushka. On the exterior of the female from the male is virtually identical.
Barnacle turaco lives in East Africa.
The nesting period begins in April and ends in July. In the mating season the male with a loud cry beckoning the female and his cries are heard throughout the forest.
Unformed, unstable ground, nest building in the trees from branches. The nest is flat, with a slight recess in which are the eggs and later the Chicks.
During mating bananoid live in pairs, and then pairs are formed from family groups, which are quite numerous. Birds are almost constantly in motion, stopping only for rest or food. Turako very timid, so finding the berry or fruit of the fruit of the tree, the bird, collecting food, then hide on the top of the tree. Turaco can play with each other, to catch up and flapping wings.
Flying banned short bursts of wings, then spreading them and slowly goes down and then again on the wing.
With a lack of nutrients, bananoid can Supplement their diet with insects and seeds.
Sinigaglia turaco
This banned the average size. The body length is 40 to 45 inches, the weight of the birds does not exceed three hundred grams. The main plumage is green. The crest on his head is blue. This species is monotypic.
In the same way as other bananoid, sinigaglia Chicks are born completely bald and covered with black down, only a month later.
Is a sedentary bird, which is the main part of its life on the tree. If the bird was in danger, she hides in a thicket of trees, while actively use the claw on the wing.
Sinigaglia the banned prefer to eat:
- berries;
- fruits;
- the fruits of verbenaceae.
Krasnopolye turaco
It is the only representative of the genus, which is present in the plumage of green and red. The body of a bird does not exceed 40 inches in length. The hallmark of this turaco is the crest on his head, which is a true red color pen. The toes of the bird is movable in all directions. The female from the male is no different.
Main feathers of green and blue wings cherry color. Thanks to this color the bird is cleverly disguised on top of a tree and becomes completely invisible.
The eggs do both parents. Also on the diet of the Chicks they care together.
Krasnopolye the banned dwells exclusively in trees. The bird eats mostly insects and berries.
Turaco live in families of thirty or more individuals, but in the mating season are divided into pairs and watch over your mate.
