Black-billed turaco

The black-billed turaco (Tauraco schuettii) 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 South Sudan.

Black-billed turaco
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Musophagiformes
Family: Musophagidae
Genus: Tauraco
Species:
T. schuettii
Binomial name
Tauraco schuettii
(Cabanis, 1879)
Distribution of the black-billed turaco
Synonyms
  • Tauraco schuetti

Description

The bird is 40 cm (16 in) long; ranging in weight from 199–272 g (7.0–9.6 oz). 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 to 5 m (9.8 to 16.4 ft) above the ground. Both the male and female defend a territory and share 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 Rwenzori turaco it will aggressively respond to the calls of that species.

It is a widespread species and is not threatened globally (CITES II).

References

  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Tauraco schuetti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Del Hoyo, Elliott and Sargatal (editors), Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol 4, ISBN 84-87334-22-9
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