Violet Turaco vs Black-billed Turaco
Musophaga violacea compared with Tauraco schuettii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Violet Turaco | Black-billed Turaco |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Musophaga violacea | Tauraco schuettii |
| Order | Musophagiformes | Musophagiformes |
| Family | Musophagidae | Musophagidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 42.0 cm (16.5 in) | 33.3 cm (13.1 in) |
| Weight | 360.0 g (12.70 oz) | 238.25 g (8.40 oz) |
| Diet | Frugivore feeding on figs, berries, and drupes in West African forest. Occasionally takes flowers, leaves, … | Frugivore feeding on figs, berries, and drupes in forest canopy. Occasionally takes flowers, leaves, and … |
| 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.
Black-billed Turaco
Loud, far-carrying musical call; rich resonant notes with clear quality echoing through highland East African forest.
Geographic Range & Migration
Violet Turaco
Found in West African forests from Senegal to Cameroon. Resident in lowland and gallery forest.
Black-billed Turaco
Found in lowland forests of Central Africa from Cameroon to Uganda and DRC. Resident in primary forest.
Conservation Status
Violet Turaco
Black-billed 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
Black-billed Turaco
Squirrel Cuckoo: rich rufous-brown above; pale buff below; long graduated rufous tail; yellow orbital ring; neotropical species
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.
Black-billed Turaco
A medium-sized turaco (40-42 cm) found in lowland forests of Central Africa from Cameroon to Uganda. Glossy blue-black plumage with green body, white face markings, and crimson wing patches. Frugivore of primary forest canopy. Named after the German ornithologist Moritz Schütt.