Violet Turaco vs Red-crested Turaco
Musophaga violacea compared with Tauraco erythrolophus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Violet Turaco | Red-crested Turaco |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Musophaga violacea | Tauraco erythrolophus |
| Order | Musophagiformes | Musophagiformes |
| Family | Musophagidae | Musophagidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 42.0 cm (16.5 in) | 34.0 cm (13.4 in) |
| Weight | 360.0 g (12.70 oz) | 267.5 g (9.44 oz) |
| Diet | Frugivore feeding on figs, berries, and drupes in West African forest. Occasionally takes flowers, leaves, … | Feeds on forest fruits, figs, and berries in Angolan forest canopy. Supplements diet with flowers … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Violet Turaco
Loud, deep booming call with resonant quality; powerful low-frequency notes carrying impressively across forest.
Red-crested Turaco
Loud, musical call with resonant carrying quality; rich melodic notes echoing through dense West African forest.
Geographic Range & Migration
Violet Turaco
Found in West African forests from Senegal to Cameroon. Resident in lowland and gallery forest.
Red-crested Turaco
Found in open woodland and forest edges of Angola and adjacent areas. An Angolan near-endemic.
Conservation Status
Violet Turaco
Red-crested Turaco
How to Tell Them Apart
Violet Turaco
Raffles's Malkoha: green above; pale buff below; red-tipped bill; bare red orbital skin; long graduated dark tail; Asian malkoha
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
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.
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.