Violaceous Turaco

Violaceous turaco are covered in melanin-rich, deep purple feathers. The red in their feathers comes from turacin, a copper pigment. Turacin is only found in turacos!

The violaceous turaco is the only species of turaco that lacks a crest on top of its head.

Instead, these birds possess large yellow shields above their bills. Their plumage is remarkably colorful, especially around the face and head. 

These African birds love to eat fruit and insects, but they drop more food than they get in their mouths, which provides food for animals on the ground and aids in seed dispersal. 

These birds run along branches in a crouched position, using their semi-zygodactyl toes to nimbly grasp onto bark. They live among treetops in somewhat large groups, well-camouflaged and bounding from tree to tree in search of food. 

When nesting, both birds will share all parenting responsibilities, from egg incubating to rearing young. Their eggs look just like ping pong balls! These African near-passerines may be predominantly arboreal, but they aren’t the best fliers. They prefer to hop from branch to branch, only flying in short bursts or gliding when hopping won’t suffice.