Musophaga rossae

(Gould, 1852)

Vernacular names
English : Ross’s turaco
French : Touraco de Lady Ross

Classification
Class : Aves
Order : Musophagiformes
Family : Musophagidae
Notes : No subspecies known

Identification
Body length up to 54 cm for a weight up to 444 g. Easily recognized by its yellow and red bill with a broad bright yellow shield. Yellow bare skin around eyes. Bright red erected crest. Rest of plumage shiny purplish-violet with red flight feathers.

Range and habitat
Central Africa from DR Congo and South-Sudan to Zambia, Tanzania and Angola. Isolated populations in Gabon, Cameroon and Central African Republic. It lives in primary and secondary gallery forest, up to 2500 m.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Not Listed
Status : The species is apparently fairly common to locally common in its big range. It can adapt to deforested areas as long as suitable nesting trees remain.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation
Dallas World Aquarium (USA), Jurong Bird Park (Singapore), Weltvogelpark Walsrode (Germany), Zooparc de Beauval (France), Zoo de La Palmyre (France)

 

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