Purple-crested turaco

The purple-crested turaco (Gallirex porphyreolophus) is a species of bird in the family Musophagidae. It is the National Bird of the Kingdom of Swaziland, and the crimson flight feathers of this and related turaco species are important in the ceremonial regalia of the Swazi royal family.

Purple-crested turaco
Nominate race in Ithala G. R.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Musophagiformes
Family: Musophagidae
Genus: Gallirex
Species:
G. porphyreolophus
Binomial name
Gallirex porphyreolophus
(Vigors, 1831)

Description

This bird has a purple coloured crest above a green head, a red ring around their eyes, and a black bill. The neck and chest are green and brown. The rest of the body is purple, with red flight feathers.

Habitat

They live in moist woodland and evergreen forests. They eat mainly fruit.

Range

It is found in Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Their southernmost occurrence is at the Mtamvuna River on the KwaZulu-Natal-Eastern Cape border.[2]

  • Close-up of front and head plumage
  • Visiting a waterhole in uMkhuze G. R.
  • Illustration by Andrew Smith, showing crimson primaries

References
  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Gallirex porphyreolophus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Clancey, P. A. (December 1975). "A One-time Mecca for Ornithologists" (PDF). Natalia. 5: 29–35. Retrieved 23 December 2013.

(Swazi References - Spring 2012 Clive Humphreys)

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