Introduction
The Red-crested Turaco, Tauraco erythrolophus, is a colourful turaco endemic to western Angola. It is Angola’s national bird and inhabits a range of wooded habitats, including forest margins, gallery forest and broadleaf woodland. Its bright green plumage, red crest and vivid wing markings make it one of the most distinctive birds of the Angolan escarpment.
Physical Description
The Red-crested Turaco is a medium-sized bird measuring approximately 45–50 cm in length and weighing about 210–325 g. Males and females are alike in appearance, with no obvious sexual dimorphism.
Adults have a green body, a long dark blue-green tail and darker bluish wings. The head is marked by a prominent crimson crest, some feathers of which are white-tipped. The face and throat are pale or white, while the bill is yellow. Bright red flight feathers can be seen when the bird opens its wings or flies between trees.
Turaco colours are unusual among birds. The red wing pigment is turacine, a copper-containing pigment characteristic of turacos. Their green plumage is associated with turacoverdin, another pigment found in the family.
Range and Habitat
The Red-crested Turaco is endemic to western Angola. Its distribution follows parts of the Angolan escarpment and adjacent wooded areas, extending from northern Angola southwards through suitable forest and woodland habitats.
It occurs in subtropical and tropical moist forest, gallery forest, forest edge, broadleaf woodland and some miombo habitats. Although strongly associated with trees, it may use a variety of wooded landscapes rather than only closed-canopy rainforest. It is a resident species and is not known for long-distance migration.
The species has a restricted national range, but it can be locally common in suitable habitat. Habitat quality varies considerably across its range, particularly where forest is affected by logging, agricultural expansion and fragmentation.
Where to See This Species
Kalandula region, Malanje Province, Angola
The Kalandula region is one of the most reliable areas in Angola for searching for Red-crested Turaco. Birding records and specialist Angola birding itineraries document the species in broadleaf woodland and gallery forest around Kalandula, including areas near Kinjila village. Look for it in the canopy and along wooded tracks, especially where mature trees and fruiting vegetation remain.
Nearby accommodation: Kalandula town is the practical gateway, with guest houses, small hotels and other locally arranged accommodation.
Kumbira Forest, Cuanza Sul Province, Angola
Kumbira Forest is a recognised birding site in the central Angolan escarpment and supports Red-crested Turaco in remaining forest and forest-edge habitat. The species is best sought with a local guide, as access and forest conditions can vary and much of the area is not developed as a formal visitor facility.
Nearby accommodation: Conda is the nearest practical town for basic guest-house or locally arranged accommodation, while larger hotels and services are available farther away in Sumbe.
Kissama National Park, Luanda Province, Angola
Red-crested Turacos have been recorded in larger gallery forests in the interior of Kissama National Park. The species is less reliable here than in the Kalandula region or central escarpment forests, but riparian woodland and mature gallery forest provide suitable habitat.
Nearby accommodation: Muxima is the main local gateway for inland sections of the park, with accommodation options generally consisting of lodges, camps or locally arranged guest accommodation. Luanda offers the widest range of hotels and services for visitors travelling to the park.
Behaviour and Diet
Red-crested Turacos are mainly arboreal and usually remain in the canopy or middle levels of woodland. They are often seen in pairs, family groups or small flocks. Their loud, far-carrying calls are an important means of communication, particularly in dense vegetation where visual contact is difficult.
The species is primarily frugivorous. Fruits and berries form the main part of its diet, although turacos may also take flowers, leaves, seeds and small invertebrates. By swallowing fruit and later passing the seeds, they contribute to seed dispersal and the regeneration of wooded habitats.
Pairs defend territories and may remain together throughout the year. Like other turacos, Red-crested Turacos build a relatively simple platform nest in vegetation, where the adults share incubation and care of the young. Courtship and social interactions include calling, crest displays, head movements and wing-spreading.
Identification Tips
- Look for a large green turaco with a conspicuous crimson crest and pale face.
- The yellow bill, white-tipped crest feathers and red wing panels are useful at close range.
- In flight, the bright red flight feathers contrast strongly with the otherwise green and blue plumage.
- The long tail and bounding, undulating flight help distinguish it from smaller forest birds.
- Listen for loud, repeated calls coming from the canopy before searching the surrounding trees.
- The species may be confused with other large turacos in Angola, but its red crest, pale face and yellow bill provide the most reliable combination of field marks.
Conservation Status
The Red-crested Turaco is currently assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, although its population is considered to be decreasing.
The main concern is the continuing loss and degradation of wooded habitat across western Angola. Logging, agricultural expansion, forest fragmentation and the removal of mature trees can reduce feeding and nesting sites. Fragmented forests may also leave local groups more isolated and vulnerable to further habitat change.
Conservation priorities include protecting remaining escarpment forests and gallery forests, improving the management of national parks and other protected areas, maintaining habitat corridors and supporting sustainable land-use practices. Further field surveys would also help clarify the species’ distribution, abundance and population trend.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the Red-crested Turaco live?
The Red-crested Turaco is endemic to western Angola, where it inhabits forest, gallery forest, forest edge and broadleaf woodland, including parts of the Angolan escarpment.
Is the Red-crested Turaco Angola’s national bird?
Yes. The Red-crested Turaco is recognised as the national bird of Angola.
What does the Red-crested Turaco eat?
It mainly eats fruit and berries, but may also consume flowers, leaves, seeds and small invertebrates. Its fruit-eating behaviour makes it an important seed disperser.
Can male and female Red-crested Turacos be told apart?
No obvious difference is normally visible in the field. Males and females have broadly similar plumage and size.
Is the Red-crested Turaco migratory?
No. It is regarded as a resident species and is not known to undertake long-distance seasonal migration.
What is the conservation status of the Red-crested Turaco?
The species is classified as Least Concern, but its population is considered to be decreasing because of habitat loss and degradation in western Angola.
References
- BirdLife International and IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- IOC World Bird List
- Birding Africa
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