Birdsong field guide
Gray Go-away-bird
Crinifer concolor
A large, uniform gray turaco characterized by its prominent crest and a tendency to sit conspicuously atop trees. It is widely recognized for its loud, nasal alarm calls that warn other wildlife of approaching intruders.
What it sounds like
A loud, drawling, and nasal 'kway' or 'g'way-a' that sounds strikingly like the English phrase 'go away'.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
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Field notes
- It acts as a 'sentinel' bird, alerting other animals to the presence of predators or humans with its vocalizations.
- Unlike most forest-dwelling turacos, this species lacks the brilliant copper-based red and green pigments (turacin and turacoverdin).
- Its diet is primarily frugivorous, consisting of wild fruits, berries, buds, and flowers, though it also consumes leaves and insects.
- They are highly social birds, typically found in family parties that engage in mutual preening and synchronized movements.
- The nest is a remarkably flimsy, flat platform of sticks resembling a dove's nest, often placed in the canopy of a thorny tree.
Habitat
Dry savannas, open acacia woodlands, and suburban gardens.
Range
Southern and East Africa, ranging from northern South Africa to Angola, Tanzania, and southern Ethiopia.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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