The secretive Green Turaco.

The Turacos, both Violet and Green are very secretive birds, particularly the Green Turaco. These birds live right up in the gallery forest area eating fruit and only come down to drink infrequently from isolated watering holes. If drinking pots are provided though and a great deal of patience is employed then with luck a fortunate photographer can be rewarded with a brief and it usually is only a very brief view.
One early afternoon we had been walking in the forest with Mas the guide we always use and we had seen some very nice birds. These forests are really prehistoric looking with great long dangling vines hanging from huge old hardwood trees and termite mounds ten feet high dotted throughout. Exotic sounding bird calls abound and echo through the canopies making it a very special place indeed to walk through.
We had arrived back to our starting point to have a rest and cool down with a drink and we were just sat there when Mas whispered ‘Green Turaco on the drinking pots’ I couldn’t believe it, what a stroke of luck, these birds are so elusive. Turacos always come in from the side walking along tree branches, they never just fly in, they are too wary.
I managed to fire off a few shots in what was quite challenging light and I was quite pleased with the results. Then it just disappeared, as quickly as it had arrived, back up into the gallery.



What a bird!