Musophaga
Schildturako ( Musophaga violacea )
- Ross Turaco ( Mu rossae )
- Schildturako ( Mu violacea )
The Schildturakos ( Musophaga ), also called Pisangfresser, form a genus in the family of Turaco ( Musophagidae ). From formerly consisting of four types of species, only two species of this genus are assigned, the Ross Turaco ( Mu rossae ) earlier than subspecies of Schildturakos ( Mu violacea ) was seen.
Features
Like most representative of the family of Turakos fall both species by their colorful plumage. The Schildturako has a shiny metallic blue and purple shimmering plumage; when Ross Turaco the purple sheen are more pronounced. In both species the primaries light carmine red with blue hems and lace. The responsible red copper-containing dye Turacin that occurs unique in the bird world only within the family of Turaco is washed out in the rain or while swimming in the slightly alkaline water in small amounts. In order not to lose time, the red dye, which will create new Mauser springs that absorb over the body Turacin. Fully developed springs can deprive the body no dye.
In both species, the forehead and crown are carmine. The extending over the lower eyelid white stripe at Schildturako is not available for the Ross Turaco. At the root of the beak beak is relatively thick, strongly rounded down to the tip of the beak back and goes to the front into a round shield-like plate. The areas not covered by feathers nostrils are elongated horizontally back in the middle of the beak to beak. Lengthening hair -like feathers form the Ross Turaco on the crown, a cap, which earned him the designation Hood Schildturako.
Occurrence
Schildturakos inhabit the forest areas in West Africa. The type Schildturako preferred inhabited rainforests and comes there from Gambia to Nigeria and east to northern Cameroon ago. Ross Turaco inhabit gallery forests and forest strips along rivers in the steppe areas, including in the southeast of Cameroon on the north of the Congo, Uganda and northern Zambia.