Gallirex porphyreolophus
The Purple-crested Turaco (Gallirex porphyreolophus) is an exquisitely colored, medium-sized arboreal bird indigenous to southeastern Africa, renowned for its magnificent, iridescent purple crest. Measuring approximately 40-46 cm (16-18 inches) in length and weighing between 210-280 grams (7.4-9.9 oz), its plumage is predominantly a brilliant emerald green, contrasting sharply with dark blue-purple wings and tail. A key field mark, besides the prominent purple crest, is the vivid red patch on...
Found in Afromontane, riverine, and coastal evergreen forests, as well as dense woodlands and riparian thickets, typically from sea level up to 1850 meters.
Primarily frugivorous, consuming a wide variety of wild fruits and berries, supplemented by leaves, flowers, and occasionally small insects like termites.
Purple-crested Turacos are diurnal birds, primarily active during daylight hours, spending most of their time in the dense canopy and often roosting communally in thick foliage. Their foraging strategy is arboreal, involving agile leaps and hops through branches to gather food. They typically liv...
The Purple-crested Turaco is a resident, non-migratory species found throughout a broad swath of southeastern Africa. Its breeding and year-round range extends from southern Somalia and coastal Kenya, southward through Tanzania, Malawi, eastern Zambia, eastern Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini, and ...
Least Concern
- The vibrant red and green colors of the Purple-crested Turaco come from unique copper-based pigments called turacin (red) and turacoverdin (green), found only in turacos, unlike most birds which produce colors structurally. - The red pigment, turacin, is water-soluble, meaning that the bird's r...