Hartlaub's Turaco

Arusha National Park is the best location on the northern circuit. The montane forest around the Momella Lakes and Mount Meru holds a strong habituated population. The Ngorongoro forest rim also has turacos but access is less straightforward. Lake Manyara's groundwater forest produces occasional sightings.

The crimson flight feathers contain a copper-based pigment called turacin that is unique to the turaco family and found in no other bird. The pigment is water soluble, which means the red colour can wash out in heavy rain, though the feathers regenerate it quickly. It is one of the rarest pigments in the animal kingdom.

Turacos eat primarily soft fruits and berries, which they swallow whole. They also take flowers and occasionally leaves. They are important seed dispersers in the montane forest because seeds pass through their digestive system intact and are deposited across their territory as the birds move through the canopy.

They are canopy birds and can be tricky to spot in dense forest despite their bright colour. The key is listening for their loud barking call and then scanning the canopy patiently for movement. In Arusha National Park the birds are habituated and often feed at eye level near the road, making sightings much easier.

They are medium sized birds, roughly 40 to 43 centimetres from bill to tail and weighing around 200 to 300 grams. The crest and long tail give them a larger appearance. They are bigger than most songbirds but smaller than hornbills.

No. Hartlaub's turacos are resident year round in their forest territories. Pairs and small family groups stay in the same patch of canopy throughout the year, which makes them predictable to find once you know their location. Your Legend Expeditions guide knows the reliable territories in Arusha National Park.