Grey Loerie

Grey Loerie - Hałaśnik Szary

Africa, Botswana, 2012

 

Description

 

The grey Loerie (Corythaixoides concolor) is also known by the name of “go-away” bird or in Afrikaans, “kwêvoël” . The Grey Go-away-bird has a height of 50 cm and weighs around 270 gm. The head is colored grey while the bill is colored black. The Corythaixoides concolor has a grey throat, black legs and a grey back. The eyes are brown. Has a prominent crest which is raised and lowered when alarmed. It occurs in dry woodland and wooded suburban environments where it can often be seen on a conspicuous perch from where it will give it’s well known call. This behavior does not endear this bird to hunters who, after an arduous stalk to get close enough to an animal to get a shot, often “have their cover blown” and their presence betrayed by a call which does not sound unlike the words “go away”.

They usually occur in pairs or small parties that are highly vocal, especially when disturbed. They fly at fairly low altitudes and have a characteristic flight pattern consisting of slow, floppy wing beats interspersed with gliding.

The Grey Go-Away Bird is a member of the turaco family. It is found in Southern Africa and is one of the least colorful turaco’s, many of which are as colorful as parrots. The Grey Go-Away is named for its call and it is a very social bird, often living in groups of up to 30 birds.

 

Habitat

The bird is found in the arid and semi-arid regions of Southern Africa and it can withstand high day and night temperatures.
The bird is an urban dweller as well, being at home in parks, gardens and in old vacated buildings.
    These birds are quick and agile and clamber about in the foliage of trees in their search for fruits and flowers which make up the bulk of their diet. They are particularly fond of the flowers of Acacia Robusta and of the fruits of the jackal berry. It has a preference for open thorn bush country, often near water.

Voice

It has a distinctive loud alarm call "quare", fancifully sounding like "go away".

Grey go-away-bird

Diet

    It eats fruit, leaves and insects. In captivity, it tends to prefer grains and leaves rather than fruit.
The Grey Go-away-bird is usually seen hunting for food within the tree foliage.
This bird eats insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants. These invertebrates are usually hawked aerially, killed and then eaten.

 

Reproduction

      The Grey Go-away-bird is a monogamous bird which means that the bird finds and breeds with one partner for the rest of its life. The bird lays between 1 to 4 eggs and they are colored blue. They breed throughout the year. Their nests are flimsy, unlined saucers made of twigs built in the upper central branches of trees. The clutch averages three eggs which is incubated by both parents. Young fledglings are fed by both parents and sometimes a helper as well. Grey Loerie tend to be silent in the vicinity of their nests which is in contrast to their noisy response when approached at other times.

   

Photos by others

 

 Mosetlha Bush Camp

 

 

Robert Erasmus

Credits

  Wikipedia