Brown-faced Go-away-bird vs Violet Turaco
Corythaixoides personatus compared with Musophaga violacea
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Brown-faced Go-away-bird | Violet Turaco |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Corythaixoides personatus | Musophaga violacea |
| Order | Musophagiformes | Musophagiformes |
| Family | Musophagidae | Musophagidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 41.2 cm (16.2 in) | 42.0 cm (16.5 in) |
| Weight | 250.0 g (8.82 oz) | 360.0 g (12.70 oz) |
| Diet | Frugivore feeding on berries, figs, and pods in savanna trees. Supplements with flowers, buds, and … | Frugivore feeding on figs, berries, and drupes in West African forest. Occasionally takes flowers, leaves, … |
| Clutch Size | 2-3 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Brown-faced Go-away-bird
Loud, cackling kow-kow-kow; harsh grating series of calls carrying well across dry open woodland habitat.
Violet Turaco
Loud, deep booming call with resonant quality; powerful low-frequency notes carrying impressively across forest.
Geographic Range & Migration
Brown-faced Go-away-bird
Found in East African woodland and savanna from Tanzania to Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Resident.
Violet Turaco
Found in West African forests from Senegal to Cameroon. Resident in lowland and gallery forest.
Conservation Status
Brown-faced Go-away-bird
Violet Turaco
How to Tell Them Apart
Brown-faced Go-away-bird
Olive-capped Coua: olive-green crown; gray body; white below; bare blue facial skin; long graduated tail; Madagascar endemic
Violet Turaco
Raffles's Malkoha: green above; pale buff below; red-tipped bill; bare red orbital skin; long graduated dark tail; Asian malkoha
About These Birds
Brown-faced Go-away-bird
A medium-sized go-away-bird (48-51 cm) found in East African woodland and savanna from Tanzania to Mozambique. Grey-brown plumage with a distinctive dark face patch. Named for its loud, nasal go-away call warning other animals of predators. Frugivore of savanna trees.
Violet Turaco
A large, spectacular turaco (48-50 cm) found in West African forests from Senegal to Cameroon. Brilliant glossy violet-purple plumage with a large red bill and bright crimson wing patches. Frugivore of forest canopy. One of the most vibrantly colored African birds.