Editing Turaco

{{Short description|Family of birds}}
{{Redirect|Loerie|the South African town|Loerie, Eastern Cape}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Turacos and relatives
| fossil_range = [[Oligocene]]–[[Holocene]], {{fossilrange|24|0|earliest=Ypresian}}<small>Possible Early [[Eocene]] record</small>
| image = Tauraco persa (captive - Birds of Eden).jpg
| image_caption = [[Guinea turaco]] (''Tauraco persa'') at [[Birds of Eden]] aviary, South Africa
| display_parents = 2
| parent_authority = [[Henry Seebohm|Seebohm]], 1890
| taxon = Musophagidae
| authority = [[René Lesson|Lesson]], 1828
| subdivision_ranks = [[Genera]]
| subdivision = *''[[Great blue turaco|Corythaeola]]''
*''[[Crinifer]]''
*''[[Gallirex]]''
*''[[Menelikornis]]''
*''[[Tauraco]]''
| synonyms = * Apopempsidae <small>Brodkorb, 1971b</small><!-- change redirect to Veflintornis when this exists -->
* Veflintornithidae <small>Kašin, 1976</small><!-- change redirect to Veflintornis when this exists -->
* Turaconidae
}}

The '''turacos''' make up the [[bird]] family '''Musophagidae''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|m|j|uː|z|oʊ|ˈ|f|æ|dʒ|ᵻ|d|iː}} "banana-eaters"), which includes ''[[plantain-eater]]s'' and ''[[go-away-bird | go-away-birds]]''. In southern Africa both turacos and go-away-birds are commonly known as '''loeries'''. They are [[Dactyly#Zygodactyly|semi-zygodactylous]]: the fourth (outer) toe can be switched back and forth. The second and third toes, which always point forward, are conjoined in some species. Musophagids often have prominent [[Crest (feathers)|crests]] and long tails; the turacos are noted for peculiar and unique [[pigment]]s giving them their bright green and red feathers.

Traditionally, this group has been allied with the [[cuckoo]]s in the [[order (biology)|order]] [[Cuculiformes]], but the [[Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy]] raises this group to a full order '''Musophagiformes'''. They have been proposed to [[Transitional fossil#Missing links|link]] the [[hoatzin]] to the other living birds,<ref>Hughes & Baker (1999)</ref> but this was later disputed.<ref>Sorenson ''et al.'' (2003)</ref> Recent genetic analyses have strongly supported the order ranking of Musophagiformes.<ref name=Ericson>{{cite journal | last1 = Ericson | first1 = P.G.P. |display-authors=etal | year = 2006 | title = Diversification of Neoaves: integration of molecular sequence data and fossils | url = http://biology-web.nmsu.edu/houde/Ericson_et_al_2006.pdf | journal = [[Biology Letters]] | volume = 2 | issue = 4 | pages = 543–547 | doi = 10.1098/rsbl.2006.0523 | pmid = 17148284 | pmc = 1834003 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080307225744/http://biology-web.nmsu.edu/houde/Ericson_et_al_2006.pdf | archive-date = 2008-03-07 }}</ref><ref name=Hackett>{{cite journal | last1 = Hackett | first1 = S.J. | display-authors = etal   | year = 2008 | title = A Phylogenomic Study of Birds Reveals Their Evolutionary History | journal = Science | volume = 320 | issue = 5884| pages = 1763–1768 | doi=10.1126/science.1157704 | pmid=18583609| bibcode = 2008Sci...320.1763H | s2cid = 6472805 }}</ref><ref name=Jarvis2014>{{cite journal | last1 = Jarvis | first1 = E.D. | display-authors = etal   | year = 2014 | title = Whole-genome analyses resolve early branches in the tree of life of modern birds | url= | journal = Science | volume = 346 | issue = 6215| pages = 1320–1331 | doi=10.1126/science.1253451 | pmid=25504713 | pmc=4405904| bibcode = 2014Sci...346.1320J }}</ref>

Musophagidae is one of very few bird families endemic to Africa,<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Tropical forest biomes|last=Holzman, Barbara A.|date=2008|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=978-0-313-33840-3|oclc=470649845}}</ref> one other being the [[mousebird]]s, Colliidae.  All species are [[Frugivore|frugivorous]], but they also eat leaves, buds, and flowers. [[Common fig|Fig]]s are an important part of their diet. They have rounded wings and long tails and strong legs, making them poor fliers, but good runners.<ref name=":0" />

Turacos are medium-sized arboreal birds [[Endemic (ecology)|endemic]] to [[sub-Saharan Africa]], where they live in [[forests]], [[woodland]] and [[savanna]]. Turacos can occasionally be found outside of their native range as escapes from captivity.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lost and Found|url=http://www.turacos.org/lostandfound.html|access-date=2021-10-15|website=www.turacos.org}}</ref>

They are [[gregarious]], non-migratory birds which move in family groups of up to 10. Many species are noisy, with the go-away-birds being especially noted for their piercing [[alarm call]]s, which alert other [[fauna]] to the presence of [[predator]]s; their common name is [[onomatopoeia]] of this. Musophagids build large stick nests in trees, and lay 2 or 3 eggs. The young are born with thick down and open, or nearly-open, eyes.<ref name=EoB>{{cite book |editor=Forshaw, Joseph|author= Marchant, S.|year=1991|title=Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds|publisher= Merehurst Press|location=London|pages= 125|isbn= 978-1-85391-186-6}}</ref>

==Morphology==
[[File:Corythaixoides leucogaster1.jpg|thumb|right|Female [[white-bellied go-away-bird]], ''Crinifer leucogaster'']]
Most turacos are medium-sized birds – an exception being the large [[great blue turaco]] – with long tails and short, rounded wings. They range in length from {{convert|40|to(-)|75|cm|in|abbr=on}}. Their flight is weak, but they are strong climbers and are able to move nimbly on branches and through vegetation. Juveniles have claws on the wings that help them climb.<ref name=Parallel>{{cite journal|author=Fain, Matthew G.|author2=Houde, Peter|name-list-style=amp|year=2004|title=Parallel radiations in the primary clades of birds|journal=[[Evolution (journal)|Evolution]]|volume=58|issue=11|pages=2558–2573|doi=10.1554/04-235|pmid=15612298|s2cid=1296408|url=http://biology-web.nmsu.edu/~houde/Parallel_radiations.pdf|access-date=2016-07-08|archive-date=2017-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709030601/http://biology-web.nmsu.edu/~houde/Parallel_radiations.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://rosamondgiffordzoo.org/assets/uploads/animals/pdf/ViolaceousTouraco.pdf |title=Violaceous Touraco |date=2010-03-01 |access-date=2016-07-08 |publisher=rosamondgiffordzoo.org |archive-date=2011-01-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110105004600/http://rosamondgiffordzoo.org/assets/uploads/animals/pdf/ViolaceousTouraco.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://aviansag.org/Husbandry/Unlocked/Care_Manuals/Turaco_TAG_husman.pdf |title=TURACO TAG HUSBANDRY MANUAL |date=1998-08-18 |access-date=2016-07-08 |publisher=aviansag.org}}</ref> They have a unique foot arrangement, where the fourth toe can be brought around to the back of the foot where it almost touches the first toe, or brought around so that it is near the second and third. In spite of this flexibility the toe is actually usually held at right angles to the axis of the foot.<ref name = "HBW">{{Citation | first = Donald | last = Turner | editor-first = Josep | editor-last = del Hoyo | editor2-first = Andrew | editor2-last = Elliott | editor3-last = Sargatal | editor3-first = Jordi | contribution = Family Musophagidae (Turacos) | title = Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 4, Sandgrouse to Cuckoos | year = 1997 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0001unse/page/480 480–508] | place = Barcelona | publisher = Lynx Edicions | isbn = 978-84-87334-22-1 | title-link = Handbook of the Birds of the World }}</ref>

The plumage of go-away-birds and plantain-eaters is mainly grey and white. The turacos on the other hand are brightly coloured birds, usually blue, green or purple. The green colour in turacos comes from [[turacoverdin]], the only true green pigment in birds known to date. Other "greens" in bird colors result from a yellow pigment such as some [[carotenoid]], combined with the prismatic physical structure of the feather itself which scatters the light in a particular way and giving a blue colour.

Turaco wings contain the red pigment [[turacin]], unlike in other birds where red colour is due to carotenoids. Both pigments are derived from [[porphyrin]]s and only known from the Musophagidae into the 21st century, but especially the little-researched turacoverdin might have relatives in other birds. The incidence of turacoverdin in relation to habitat is of interest to scientists, being present in forest species but absent in savanna- and acacia-living species.<ref name = "HBW"/>

Little is known about the longevity of wild turacos, but in captivity they are proving to be exceptionally long-lived, easily living to 30 years in captivity. A bird in the [[Cotswold Wildlife Park]] collection in England approached its 37th year.<ref>Originally from Nigel Hewston, discussed at the ITS AGM in spring 2012 (at the same venue)</ref>

==Evolution and systematics==
The [[fossil]] genus ''[[Veflintornis]]''<!-- Geobios2:157 --> is known from the [[Middle Miocene]] of [[Grive-Saint-Alban]] ([[France]]). It was established as ''Apopempsis'' by [[Pierce Brodkorb]] in 1971, but this is pre-empted by Schenkling's 1903 use of the name for some [[beetle]]s. ''"Apopempsis" africanus'' (Early Miocene of Kenya) might also belong there.<ref name =Mlíkovský2002>Mlíkovský (2002)</ref>

Further fossil material of putative musophagids was found in Egypt as well as in [[Late Oligocene]] deposits at [[Gaimersheim]] in Germany and Middle Miocene deposits at [[La Grive-Saint-Alban|Grive-Saint-Alban]]<ref>"TT 149", a [[Anatomical terms of location#Proximal and distal|proximal]] left and a [[Anatomical terms of location#Proximal and distal|distal]] right [[tibiotarsus]] of a bird similar in size to living ''[[Tauraco]]'': Ballmann (1969)</ref> and [[Vieux-Collonges]] (each in France).<ref name =Mlíkovský2002 /> While it is not entirely certain that these fossils are indeed of turacos, it nonetheless appears as if the family [[evolution|evolve]]d in the [[Oligocene]] of central Europe or perhaps northern Africa, and later on shifted its distribution southwards. The climate of those European regions during the late [[Paleogene]] was not too dissimilar to that of (sub)tropical Africa today; the Saharan desert was not yet present and the distance across the Mediterranean was not much more than what it is today. Thus such a move south may well have been a very slow and gradual shifting of a large and continuous range.

[[File:Corythaeola cristata.jpg|thumb|right|[[Great blue turaco]]<br />''Corythaeola cristata'']]
The [[Early Eocene]] ''[[Promusophaga]]'' was initially believed to be the oldest record of the turacos; it was eventually reconsidered a distant relative of the ostrich and is now in the [[ratite]] family [[Lithornithidae]]. ''[[Filholornis]]'' from the Late Eocene or Early Oligocene of France is occasionally considered a musophagid, but its relationships have always been disputed. It is not often considered a turaco in more recent times and has been [[synonym (taxonomy)|synonym]]ised with the presumed [[gruiform]] ''[[Talantatos]]'', though it is not certain whether this will become widely accepted.<ref name =Mlíkovský2002 />

The phylogenetic analysis conducted by Field & Hsiang (2018) indicated that [[Eocene]] ([[Wasatchian]]) species ''[[Foro (bird)|Foro panarium]]'' known from the Fossil Butte Member of the [[Green River Formation]] ([[Wyoming]], [[United States]]) was a [[Crown group#Stem groups|stem]]-turaco.<ref>{{Cite journal|author1=Daniel J. Field |author2=Allison Y. Hsiang |year=2018 |title=A North American stem turaco, and the complex biogeographic history of modern birds |journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=102 |doi=10.1186/s12862-018-1212-3 |pmid=29936914 |pmc=6016133 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2018BMCEE..18..102F }}</ref>

===Phylogeny===

The IOC World Bird List (version 10.1) recognises 23 species of turaco in six genera. However, a phylogenetic analysis by Perktaş et al (2020) found genus ''Tauraco'' polyphyletic and a revised classification has been proposed based on molecular, morphological and biogeographic analysis.<ref name=Perktas-2020>{{Cite journal|last1=Perktaş|first1=Utku|last2=Groth|first2=Jeff G.|last3=Barrowclough|first3=George F.|date=April 2020|title=Phylogeography, Species Limits, Phylogeny, and Classification of the Turacos (Aves: Musophagidae) Based on Mitochondrial and Nuclear DNA Sequences|url=https://bioone.org/journals/American-Museum-Novitates/volume-2020/issue-3949/3949.1/Phylogeography-Species-Limits-Phylogeny-and-Classification-of-the-Turacos-Aves/10.1206/3949.1.full|journal=American Museum Novitates|issue=3949|pages=1–61|doi=10.1206/3949.1|s2cid=214763342|issn=0003-0082}}</ref> This study recognised 33 species-level taxa in seven genera corresponding to the major clades. The following phylogenetic tree is based on this proposal and uses their proposed genus and species names;<ref name=Perktas-2020/> and has been largely accepted by more recent versions of the IOC World Bird List, except that ''Proturacus'' is retained within ''Tauraco''.<ref name=IOC>{{BioRef|IOC|family=Musophagidae|version=14.2|access-date=10 February 2024}}</ref>

{{clade|style=font-size:95%;line-height:95%
|1={{clade
   |1={{clade
      |label1=[[Corythaeolinae]]
      |1={{clade
         |label1x=''[[Corythaeola]]''
         |1=''Corythaeola cristata'' ([[great blue turaco]])
         }}
      |label2=[[Criniferinae]] <!-- the source (Perktaş at al 2020) uses Crinifer for the whole subfamily; the IOC and the linked articles use two genera -->   |sublabel2=(''[[Crinifer]]'' ''sensu lato''){{efn|name=Crinifer}}
      |2={{clade
         |1={{clade
            |1=''Crinifer leucogaster'' ([[white-bellied go-away-bird]]) <!--Corythaixoides in IOC and linked article -->
            |label2=''[[Crinifer]]'' |sublabel2=sensu stricto
            |2={{clade
               |1=''Crinifer piscator'' ([[western plantain-eater]])
               |2=''Crinifer zonurus'' ([[eastern plantain-eater]])
               }}
            }}
         |label2x=''[[Corythaixoides]]'' <!-- genus formerly used by IOC and linked articles-->
         |2={{clade
            |1=''Crinifer personatus'' ([[bare-faced go-away-bird]])
            |2=''Crinifer concolor'' ([[grey go-away-bird]])
            }}
         }}
      }}
   |label2=[[Musophaginae]]
   |2={{clade
      |label1=''[[Gallirex]]''{{efn|name=Gallirex}}
      |1={{clade
         |1={{clade
            |1=''Gallirex porphyreolophus'' (southern [[purple-crested turaco]]) <!-- Tauraco porphyreolophus in IOC and linked article-->
            |2=''Gallirex chlorochlamys'' ([[northern purple-crested turaco]]){{efn|name=newspecies}} <!-- subspecies of  Tauraco porphyreolophus in IOC-->
            }}
         |2={{clade
            |1=''Gallirex kivuensis'' ([[Kivu turaco]]){{efn|name=newspecies}} <!-- subspecies of Ruwenzorornis johnstoni in IOC-->
            |2=''Gallirex johnstoni'' ([[Rwenzori turaco]]) <!-- Ruwenzorornis johnstoni in IOC and linked article -->
            }}
         }}
      |2={{clade
         |label1=''[[Menelikornis]]''{{efn|name=Menelikornis}}
         |1={{clade
            |1=''Menelikornis ruspolii'' ([[Prince Ruspoli's turaco]])
            |2={{clade
               |1=''Menelikornis leucotis'' ([[white-cheeked turaco]]) <!-- in genus Tauraco in IOC 10.1 -->
               |2=''Menelikornis donaldsoni'' ([[Donaldson's turaco]]){{efn|name=newspecies}} <!-- subspecies of Tauraco leucotis in IOC-->
               }}
            }}
         |2={{clade
            |label1=''[[Musophaga]]''
            |1={{clade
               |1={{clade
                  |1=''Musophaga macrorhynchus'' (western [[yellow-billed turaco]]) <!--Tauraco macrorhynchus in IOC and artcle link -->
                  |2=''Musophaga verreauxii'' ([[eastern yellow-billed turaco]]){{efn|name=newspecies}} <!--subspecies of Tauraco macrorhynchus in IOC-->
                  }}
               |2={{clade
                  |1=''Musophaga violacea'' ([[violet turaco]])
                  |2=''Musophaga rossae'' ([[Ross's turaco]])
                  }}
               }}
            |label2=''[[Tauraco]]'' |sublabel2=''sensu lato''
            |2={{clade
               |label1=''[[Proturacus]]''{{efn |name=Proturacus}} <!--note articles still recognising these in genus Tauraco following IOC-->
               |1={{clade
                  |1=''Proturacus bannermani'' ([[Bannerman's turaco]])
                  |2={{clade
                     |1=''Proturacus erythrolophus'' ([[red-crested turaco]])
                     |2=''Proturacus leucolophus'' ([[white-crested turaco]])
                     }}
                  }}
               |label2=''[[Tauraco]]'' |sublabel2=''sensu stricto''
               |2={{clade
                  |1={{clade
                     |1=''Tauraco emini'' ([[eastern black-billed turaco]]){{efn|name=emini}} <!-- subspecies of schuettii in IOC-->
                     |2=''Tauraco hartlaubi'' ([[Hartlaub's turaco]])
                     |3={{clade
                        |1=''Tauraco persa'' ([[Guinea turaco]] or eastern green turaco)
                        |2=''Tauraco buffoni'' ([[western green turaco]]){{efn|name=newspecies}} <!-- subspecies of persa in IOC-->
                        }}
                     |4={{clade
                        |1={{clade
                           |1=''Tauraco fischeri'' ([[Fischer's turaco]])
                           |2=''Tauraco reichenowi'' ([[Reichenow's turaco]]){{efn|name=reichenowi}} <!-- subspecies of livingstoni in IOC-->
                           }}
                        |2={{clade
                           |1=''Tauraco corythaix'' ([[Knysna turaco]])
                           |2=''Tauraco livingstonii'' ([[Livingstone's turaco]])
                           }}
                        }}
                     }}
                  |2={{clade
                     |1=''Tauraco schuettii'' ([[black-billed turaco]])
                     |2={{clade 
                        |1=''Tauraco chalcolophus'' ([[Ngorongoro turaco]]){{efn|name=schalowi}}
                        |2={{clade
                           |1=''Tauraco schalowi'' ([[Schalow's turaco]])
                           |2={{clade
                              |1=''Tauraco marungensis'' ([[Zambia turaco]]){{efn|name=schalowi}}
                              |2=''Tauraco loitanus'' ([[Loita turaco]]){{efn|name=schalowi}}
                              }}
                           }}
                        }}
                     }}
                  }}
               }}
            }}
         }}
      }}
   }}
}}

'''Notes:'''<ref name=Perktas-2020/>
{{notelist|refs=
{{efn|name=newspecies|Proposed species split based on phylogenetic species principle.}}
{{efn|name=Proturacus|Proposed recognition of genus ''Proturacus'' for a clade of ''Tauraco bannermani'', ''Tauraco erythrolophus'' and ''Tauraco leucolophus''.<!--<ref name="Boyd">{{cite web|website=[[John Boyd's website]] |last=Boyd|first=John|year=2007|title=Otidimorphae: Musophagiformes, Otidiformes, Cuculiformes |url=http://jboyd.net/Taxo/List4.html#musophagiformes |access-date= 30 December 2015}}</ref>-->}}
{{efn|name=schalowi|Proposed species split of ''Tauraco schalowi'' complex into four species based on phylogenetic species principle.}}
{{efn|name=Crinifer|Broader definition of ''Crinifer'' proposed, because ''Corythaixoides leucogaster'' is recovered with the ''Crinifer'' species rather than the other ''Corythaixoides'' species }}
{{efn|name=emini|Elevation of former subspecies to new species proposed because ''Tauraco schuettii'' was found to be polyphyletic. }}
{{efn|name=reichenowi |Elevation of former subspecies to new species proposed because ''Tauraco livingstonii'' was found to be polyphyletic. }}
{{efn|name=Gallirex|Proposed genus for clade of former ''Taurico'' and ''Ruwenzorornis'' species}}
{{efn|name=Menelikornis|Proposed genus for clade of former ''Taurico'' species}}
}}

===Species===
The species of Musophagidae, arranged in taxonomic sequence and Paleofile.com websites are:<ref>{{cite web | website=Paleofile.com (net, info)| url=http://www.paleofile.com/ | title=Taxonomic lists- Aves | access-date=30 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://kmoksy.com/zobot/birds_English_5.html|title=05 → Oᴛɪᴅᴀᴇ: Mᴜsᴏᴘʜᴀɢɪfᴏʀᴍᴇs, Oᴛɪᴅɪfᴏʀᴍᴇs, Cᴜᴄᴜʟɪfᴏʀᴍᴇs, Cᴀᴘʀɪᴍᴜʟɢɪfᴏʀᴍᴇs, Sᴛᴇᴀᴛᴏʀɴɪᴛʜɪfᴏʀᴍᴇs, Nʏᴄᴛɪʙɪɪfᴏʀᴍᴇs, Pᴏᴅᴀʀɢɪfᴏʀᴍᴇs, Aᴘᴏᴅɪfᴏʀᴍᴇs|last=Çınar|first=Ümüt|date=November 2015|website=www.kmoksy.com|access-date=30 December 2015|archive-date=20 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220114407/http://kmoksy.com/zobot/birds_English_5.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

'''Order Musophagiformes''' <small>Seebohm 1890</small>
* Genus †''[[Foro (bird)|Foro]]'' <small>Olson, 1992</small>?
** †''F. panarium'' <small>Olson, 1992</small>
* '''Family Musophagidae''' <small>Lesson 1828</small> [Apopempsidae <small>Brodkorb, 1971b</small>; Veflintornithidae <small>Kašin, 1976</small>] 
** Genus †''[[Veflintornis]]'' <small>Kašin 1976</small> [''[[Apopempsis]]'' <small>Brodkorb 1971 non Schenkling 1903</small>]
*** †''V. meini'' <small>(Ballmann 1969) Kašin 1976</small> [''Musophaga meini'' <small>Ballmann 1969</small>; ''Apopempsis meini'' <small>(Ballmann 1969) Brodkorb 1971</small>]
*** †''V. africanus'' <small>(Harrison 1980)</small> [''Musophaga africanus'' <small>Harrison 1980</small>; ''Apopempsis africanus'' <small>(Harrison 1980)</small>]
** Subfamily Corythaeolinae
*** Genus ''Corythaeola'' <small>Heine 1860</small>
**** [[Great blue turaco]], ''Corythaeola cristata'' <small>(Vieillot 1816) Heine 1860</small>
** Subfamily Criniferinae
*** Genus ''[[Crinifer]]''
**** [[Western plantain-eater]], ''Crinifer piscator'' <small>(Boddaert 1783)</small>
**** [[Eastern plantain-eater]], ''Crinifer zonurus'' <small>(Rüppell 1835)</small>
**** [[White-bellied go-away-bird]], ''Crinifer leucogaster'' <small>(Rüppell 1842) Roberts 1926</small>
**** [[Grey go-away-bird]], ''Crinifer concolor''
**** [[Bare-faced go-away-bird]], ''Crinifer personatus''
** Subfamily Musophaginae
*** Genus ''[[Gallirex]]''
**** [[Purple-crested turaco]], ''Gallirex porphyreolophus''
**** [[Rwenzori turaco]], ''Gallirex johnstoni''
*** Genus ''[[Menelikornis]]''
**** [[White-cheeked turaco]], ''Menelikornis leucotis'' <small>(Rüppell 1835)</small>
**** [[Ruspoli's turaco]], ''Menelikornis ruspolii'' <small>Salvadori 1896</small>
*** Genus ''[[Tauraco]]''
**** [[Bannerman's turaco]], ''Tauraco bannermani'' <small>(Bates 1923)</small>
**** [[White-crested turaco]], ''Tauraco leucolophus'' <small>(Heuglin 1855)</small>
**** [[Red-crested turaco]], ''Tauraco erythrolophus'' <small>(Vieillot 1819)</small>
**** [[Guinea turaco]], ''Tauraco persa'' <small>(Linnaeus 1758)</small>
**** [[Knysna turaco]], ''Tauraco corythaix'' <small>(Wagler 1827)</small>
**** [[Livingstone's turaco]], ''Tauraco livingstonii'' <small>Gray 1864</small>
**** [[Fischer's turaco]], ''Tauraco fischeri'' <small>(Reichenow 1878)</small>
**** [[Black-billed turaco]], ''Tauraco schuettii'' <small>(Cabanis 1879)</small>
**** [[Schalow's turaco]], ''Tauraco schalowi'' <small>(Reichenow 1891)</small>
**** [[Hartlaub's turaco]], ''Tauraco hartlaubi'' <small>(Fischer & Reichenow 1884)</small>
**** [[Yellow-billed turaco]], ''Tauraco macrorhynchus'' <small>(Fraser 1839)</small>
**** [[Violet turaco]], ''Tauraco violaceus'' <small>Isert 1788</small>
**** [[Ross's turaco]], ''Tauraco rossae'' <small>Gould 1852</small>

==Interaction with humans==
The crimson flight feathers of turacos have been treasured as status symbols to royalty and [[paramount chief]]s all over Africa. They are recorded as being valued by the Swazi and Zulu royal families.<ref>''ITS Magazine'', autumn 2003 (20), www.turacos.org</ref> British ornithologist [[Constantine Walter Benson]], who collected heavily in Africa, is alleged to have tasted every species he collected; he claimed that turacos tasted the best.<ref name="Brewer105">{{cite book |last=Brewer |first=David |date=2018 |title=Birds New to Science: Fifty Years of Avian Discoveries |location=London |publisher=Christopher Helm |page=105 |isbn=978-1-4729-0628-1}}</ref> 

== Citations ==
{{Reflist}}

== General and cited references ==
* {{cite journal | last1 = Ballmann | first1 = Peter | year = 1969 | title = Les Oiseaux miocènes de la Grive-Saint-Alban (Isère) [The Miocene birds of Grive-Saint-Alban, Isère] | journal = [[Geobios]] | volume = 2 | pages = 157–204 | doi = 10.1016/S0016-6995(69)80005-7 }} (French with English abstract)
* {{cite journal | last1 = Hughes | first1 = Janice M. | last2 = Baker | first2 = Allan J. | year = 1999 | title = Phylogenetic relationships of the enigmatic hoatzin (''Opisthocomus hoazin'') resolved using mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences | url = http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/16/9/1300.pdf | journal = Molecular Biology and Evolution | volume = 16 | issue = 9| pages = 1300–1307 | doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a026220 | pmid=10486983| doi-access = free }}
* International Turaco Society (Magazines 1993–2012), also website 2001, [http://www.turacos.org/ turacos.org]
* Mlíkovský, Jirí (2002): ''Cenozoic Birds of the World, Part 1: Europe''. Ninox Press, Prague. <small>{{Listed Invalid ISBN|80-901105-3-8}}</small> [http://www.nm.cz/download/JML-18-2002-CBE.pdf PDF fulltext] ({{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520101755/http://www.nm.cz/download/JML-18-2002-CBE.pdf |date=2011-05-20 }})<!-- This should be treated with extreme caution as regards merging of species. Splits are usually good though. See also critical review in Auk121:623-627 here http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3793/is_200404/ai_n9396879 -->
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Touracou|volume=27|page=102|first=Alfred|last=Newton|author-link=Alfred Newton}} This is based on a now outdated classification, but does provide a detailed description of the morphology of some species.
* {{cite journal | last1 = Sorenson | first1 = Michael D. | last2 = Oneal | first2 = Elen | last3 = García-Moreno | first3 = Jaime | last4 = Mindell | first4 = David P. | year = 2003 | title = More Taxa, More Characters: The Hoatzin Problem Is Still Unresolved | journal = Molecular Biology and Evolution | volume = 20 | issue = 9| pages = 1484–1499 | doi = 10.1093/molbev/msg157 | pmid=12777516| s2cid = 24173060 }}  [http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/20/9/1484/DC1 Supplementary Material].

==External links==
{{Commons category|Musophagidae}}
* [http://www.touracos.org International Touraco Society]
* [http://ibc.lynxeds.com/family/turacos-musophagidae Turaco videos] on the Internet Bird Collection

{{Turacos}}
{{Birds}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q213827}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Musophagidae| ]]
[[Category:Extant Chattian first appearances]]
[[Category:Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa]]
[[Category:Taxa named by René Lesson]]
[[Category:Musophagiformes]]