Western Plantain-eater vs Red-crested Turaco
Crinifer piscator compared with Tauraco erythrolophus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Western Plantain-eater | Red-crested Turaco |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Crinifer piscator | Tauraco erythrolophus |
| Order | Musophagiformes | Musophagiformes |
| Family | Musophagidae | Musophagidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 44.8 cm (17.6 in) | 34.0 cm (13.4 in) |
| Weight | 370.0 g (13.05 oz) | 267.5 g (9.44 oz) |
| Diet | Frugivore of West African savanna; feeds on figs, berries, and pods in gallery and riparian … | Feeds on forest fruits, figs, and berries in Angolan forest canopy. Supplements diet with flowers … |
| Clutch Size | 2-3 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Western Plantain-eater only
Red-crested Turaco only
Song & Call Comparison
Western Plantain-eater
Loud, far-carrying kwow repeated insistently; harsh nasal calls audible at considerable distance across forest.
Red-crested Turaco
Loud, musical call with resonant carrying quality; rich melodic notes echoing through dense West African forest.
Geographic Range & Migration
Western Plantain-eater
Found in savanna and woodland across West Africa from Senegal to Cameroon. Resident in open habitats.
Red-crested Turaco
Found in open woodland and forest edges of Angola and adjacent areas. An Angolan near-endemic.
Conservation Status
Western Plantain-eater
Red-crested Turaco
How to Tell Them Apart
Western Plantain-eater
Running Coua (large): large gray-brown coua; pale below; bare blue-green facial skin; long graduated tail; fast-running Madagascar bird
Red-crested Turaco
Scale-feathered Malkoha: scaly-patterned feathers; dark green above; buff below; bare red orbital skin; long dark tail; scaled texture
About These Birds
Western Plantain-eater
A large turaco (50-54 cm) found in savanna and woodland across West Africa. Grey-brown plumage with a shaggy crest. Frugivore of fig trees and other fruiting woodland trees. Named plantain-eater though rarely eats plantains. Conspicuous and noisy.
Red-crested Turaco
A medium-sized turaco (43-47 cm) found in open woodland and forest edges of Angola and adjacent areas. Green plumage with a prominent red crest tipped white. Crimson wing patches. Frugivore of woodland and forest edge trees. An Angolan near-endemic.