Black-billed Turaco

Taxobox
name = Black-billed Turaco
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Cuculiformes
familia = Musophagidae
genus = "Tauraco"
species = "T. schuetti"
binomial = "Tauraco schuetti"
binomial_authority = (Cabanis, 1879)The Black-billed Turaco, "Tauraco schuetti", is a medium sized turaco, an endemic family to sub-Saharan Africa. It is a resident breeder in the forests of central Africa, found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, West Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and southern Sudan.

Description

40cm; ranging in weight from 199-272 g. Adult similar to Green Turaco, distinguished by small all black bill and rounded whitish crest. It lays two eggs in a platform of twigs around 3 or 5 metres above the ground. Both the male and female defend a territory and share with incubation duties.

Its call is a distinctive feature of the forests of the Congo, a resonant "kwah khaw kwah". In areas where its range overlaps with the Ruwenzori Turaco it will aggressively respond to the calls of that species.It is a widespread species, and is not threatened globally (CITES II).

References

* Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
* Del Hoyo, Elliott and Sargatal (editors), "Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol 4", ISBN 84-87334-22-9