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Tauraco schalowi (Schalow's turaco) 

Langkuifloerie [Afrikaans]; Touraco de Schalow [French]; Schalow-turako [German]

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Deuterostomia > Chordata > Craniata > Vertebrata (vertebrates)  > Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) > Teleostomi (teleost fish) > Osteichthyes (bony fish) > Class: Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish) > Stegocephalia (terrestrial vertebrates) > Tetrapoda (four-legged vertebrates) > Reptiliomorpha > Amniota > Reptilia (reptiles) > Romeriida > Diapsida > Archosauromorpha > Archosauria > Dinosauria (dinosaurs) > Saurischia > Theropoda (bipedal predatory dinosaurs) > Coelurosauria > Maniraptora > Aves (birds) > Musophagiformes > Family: Musophagidae

Tauraco schalowi (Schalow's turaco)   

Schalow's turaco, Tanzania. [photo Geoff & Anabel Harries ©]

 

Distribution and habitat

Occurs from western Angola and southern DRC to Tanzania, Zambia, the Caprivi Strip (Namibia) and northern Botswana, generally preferring lowland evergreen forest.

Movements and migrations

Resident and largely sedentary, although it may occasionally make nomadic movements.

Food 

Mainly eats fruit, doing most of its foraging in the forest canopy and understorey. The following food items have been recorded in its diet:

  • Fruit
    • Afrocrania volkensii (Afrocrania)
    • Allophylus abyssinicus (Forest velvet false-rhus)
    • Aphloia theiformis (Albino-berry)
    • Engelerophytum natalense (Silver-leaved milkplum)
    • Bridelia micrantha (Mitzeerie)
    • Keetia vernosa (Raisin-fruit keetia)
    • Caesaria battiscombei (Forest sword-leaf)
    • Mystroxylon aethiopicum (Kooboo-berry)
    • Celtis africana (White-stinkwood)
    • Chionanthus battiscombei (Pock-ironwood)
    • Cola greenwayi (Hairy cola)
    • Cryptocarya liebertiana (Tropical wild-quince)
    • Cussonia spicata (Cabbage-tree)
    • Dracaena mannii (Small-leaved dragon-tree)
    • Drypetes gerrardii (Forest ironplum)
    • Ehretia cymosa (Forest stamperwood)
    • Ekebergia capensis (Cape-ash)
    • Eugenia capensis (Dune myrtle)
    • Ficus (figs)
      • Ficus bizanae (Pondo fig)
      • Ficus exasperata (Sandpaper forest fig)
      • Ficus ingens (Red-leaved fig)
      • Ficus scassellatii (Crown-fruit fig)
      • Ficus natalensis (Coastal strangler fig)
      • Ficus sansibarica (Knobbly fig)
    • Garcinia kingaensis (Northern forest mangosteen)
    • Halleria lucida (Tree-fuchsia)
    • Harungana madagascariensis (Orange-milk tree)
    • Ilex mitis (African holly)
    • Macaranga capensis (River macaranga)
    • Maesa lanceolata (False assegai)
    • Ochna holstii (Red-ironwood)
    • Olea capensis (Ironwood)
    • Olea europea (African olive)
    • Olinia rochetiana (Rock hard-pear)
    • Osyris lanceolata (Rock tannin-bush)
    • Podocarpus latifolius (Broad-leaved yellowwood)
    • Polyscias fulva (Parasol-tree)
    • Prunus africana (African almond)
    • Rapanea melanophoeos (Cape-beech)
    • Rauvolfia cafra (Quinine-tree)
    • Rhoicissus tridentata (Bushman's grape)
    • Rhus longipes (Large-leaved rhus)
    • Rubus ellipticus (bramble)
    • Sapium ellipticum (Jumping-seed tree)
    • Scheflera umbellifera (Bastard cabbage-tree)
    • Syzygium cordatum (Waterberry)
    • Syzygium guineensee (Pointed-leaf waterberry)
    • Trema orientalis (Pigeonwood)
    • Uapaca kirkiana (Mahobohobo)
    • Uapaca sansibarica (Lesser mahobohobo)

Breeding

  • Monogamous, territorial solitary nester, its nest is yet to be described, although it is known that it can be placed quite high up in a tree.
  • Egg-laying season is from September-February in Zambia and Malawi.
  • It lays 1-2 eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for about 20-22 days (recorded in captivity).
  • The chicks leave the nest at about 25-28 days old; within two weeks they have learnt to fly and are feeding for themselves, becoming fully independent at about 53 days old (recorded in captivity).

Threats

Not threatened.

References

  • Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ and Ryan PG 2005. Roberts - Birds of southern Africa, VIIth ed. The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town.