Extracts from "BREEDING THE VIOLACEOUS TURACO (MUSOPHAGA VIOLACEA) AT THE BOBENHEIM BIRDPARK / GERMANY" BY RAINER BERENZ - I.T.S. Magazine Issue 23:

Full article can be read in the 'Members' only section.

In 2002, the Violaceous Turaco was the second species of the order turacos we were able to rear at the Bobenheim Birdgarden. One bird was raised by the parents, but died after leaving the nest (about 18 days). A second one was hand reared.

We kept Violaceous Turacos for several years. The birds lived in different aviaries during this time. The smallest aviary is 3m x 2m x 2m, another 4m x 2m x 2m and the largest one 10m x 7m x 4m.

The pair that breed successfully in 2002 was the result of a swap of the birds inside the stock of the Birdpark.

Hand rearing the Violaceous Turaco:

This bird was the first turaco we hand reared at Bobenheim Birdpark.
We decided to feed the bird with banana and baby food. We also choose pap (100 % fruit ingredients). The baby bird didn't like the pap. So we had to feed this first. Also banana wasn't its no. 1 food. So we started having a problem. At the same time we raised the turaco, we also hand reared a Common Crane (Grus grus), European Thick-knees (Burhinus oedicnemus) and Peruvian Thick-knees (Burhinus superciliaris). Basic food for these birds were waterfowl pellets (Lundi regular, a German product). We put the pellets in water before feeding time. After a few minutes, they had the size of frozen peas. We tried to feed them to the young Touraco, and these pellets became his favourite food. He liked them so much, that he jumped out of his nest as soon as he saw them. He even didn't know when to stop and he still tried to eat them when he wasn't able to swallow them any more.

Rainer

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