Corythaeola – Great blue turaco

A strikingly beautiful bird, known for its vibrant colors and impressive size, making it the largest species in the turaco family. It’s primarily found in the forests of West and Central Africa, stretching across a wide range that includes countries like Cameroon, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

One of the Great Blue Turaco’s most noticeable features is its coloration. It boasts a vivid blue body with a contrasting yellow and black tail and a greenish bill. The head is adorned with a noticeable crest of blue feathers at the base and tipped with white. This crest can be raised or lowered depending on the bird’s mood, adding an expressive quality to its appearance.

Despite its size and bright colors, the Great Blue Turaco is a shy creature that can be elusive. It usually stays hidden among the dense foliage, making it a treat for birdwatchers to spot one in the wild. Its call is another characteristic trait, consisting of a series of bubbly and gurgling sounds that carry well through its forest home. These vocalizations play a role in communication, especially during the breeding season, and in maintaining territory boundaries.

Speaking of breeding, the Great Blue Turaco is monogamous, generally forming long-term pair bonds. Its nesting is a communal affair, with the nest being a somewhat flimsy platform of sticks built in trees. Both parents share in the duties of incubation and feeding, which underscores the bird’s social nature regarding family structure.

A fun fact about turacos, in general, is that they possess unique pigments in their feathers. The Great Blue Turaco, for instance, gets its blue coloration not from the reflection of light but from a rare pigment called turacoverdin. Interestingly, when the feathers of a turaco are crushed, they can stain the fingers blue, a feature historically used by local tribes for body paint and dye.