Tauraco | |
---|---|
Fischer's turaco Tauraco fischeri |
|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Musophagiformes |
Family: | Musophagidae |
Genus: |
Tauraco Kluk, 1779 |
Species | |
14, see text |
14, see text
Tauraco is a genus of turacos. It contains the "typical" or green turacos; though their plumage is not always green all over, the presence of significant amounts of turacoverdin-colored plumage generally sets Tauraco species apart from other Musophagidae. Indeed, as opposed to any other known birds, Tauraco turacos are the only living bird taxa that have any significant green pigment whatsoever, as the greens of many parrots etc. are due to structural color, not pigment. Their genus name was derived from a native West African name.
Species are:
The last species had sometimes been united with the Ruwenzori turaco (Ruwenzorornis), and the great blue turaco (Corythaeola cristata) with Gallirex.