The Red-crested Turaco is listed as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN. Found south of the Sahara from Angola to the Congo.
The primary diet of turaco is a mixture of fruit, leafy greens, flowers and the occasional insect. Their numbers in the wild have been decreasing due to deforestation, as well as poaching. Farmers often kill these birds which fly into farms and eat the fruit that they are growing.
The pigment of turaco is the only true green pigment found in the avian world. Their green color does not rely on light refraction to look green. Both the red and green pigments contain copper.
This species has been in American Aviculture since 1926 but is not common in private collections. They have been part of an AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) SSP (Species Survival Plan) since 1960. These breeding programs help to ensure that the species survives in case there is a problem with the wild population. At the moment they are housed in 19 AZA Zoos.
The primary diet of turaco is a mixture of fruit, leafy greens, flowers and the occasional insect. Their numbers in the wild have been decreasing due to deforestation, as well as poaching. Farmers often kill these birds which fly into farms and eat the fruit that they are growing.
The pigment of turaco is the only true green pigment found in the avian world. Their green color does not rely on light refraction to look green. Both the red and green pigments contain copper.
This species has been in American Aviculture since 1926 but is not common in private collections. They have been part of an AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) SSP (Species Survival Plan) since 1960. These breeding programs help to ensure that the species survives in case there is a problem with the wild population. At the moment they are housed in 19 AZA Zoos.
