turaco
/ˈtʊərəkəʊ
/(also touraco)
noun (plural turacos)
A fruit-eating African bird with brightly coloured plumage, a prominent crest, and a long tail. Also called loerie or lourie in South Africa.
- Family Musophagidae (the turaco family): three genera, especially Musophaga and Tauraco, and several species. The turaco family also includes the go-away birds and plantain-eaters.
- The only animals to be found here are blue and Colobus monkeys and a variety of birds including hornbill and turaco.
- The turaco was found to differentiate among the calls of predators and those of competitors.
Origin
Mid 18th century: from French touraco, from a West African word.