Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata)

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A large turaco with blue upperparts, a red and yellow underside, and a broad crest, this species lives in tropical rain forest. Here it feeds principally on forest fruits. In the trees the bird is agile and active, hopping and running along branches. Its flight consists of little more than downward glides and swoops, and it usually gains height by leaping between branches. Habitats include lowland forests edges, river valley forests, mountain forests, and isolated woodlands in savanna (tropical grassland). This shy bird is not easily seen among the foliage, but small groups often gather and can be detected by their habit of calling in chorus, sometimes of several minutes. The chorus begins with plaintive cries, followed by a series of "kok-kok" notes, and dies down with deeper, vibrating calls.

Nest: A thin platform of dry twigs with a shallow central hollow, lined with finer twigs, and placed high in a tree.

Distribution: Tropical forests in W. and C. Africa.

Remark: This is the largest species of turaco.

Reference:

Greensmith, Alan., Harrison, Colin. Birds of the World (Eyewitness Handbooks); The Visual Guide to over 800 Species, Covering the Complete Range of Bird Families.: London, 1993.