Bare-faced Go-away-bird

Identification

The bare-faced go-away-bird is a striking turaco measuring 48 cm from beak to tail and weighing 210–300 grams. Its most distinctive feature is its uniquely bare, black face—a characteristic that immediately sets it apart from other turaco species. The bird's plumage is predominantly green, though the extent of green on the breast and underside varies between the two recognized subspecies. Males have a black beak, while females display a distinctive green beak, making sex identification straightforward in the field. The species is notably noisy and restless, and its distinctive call—a double or repetitive "kow-kow"—is often the first sign of its presence.

Range & habitat

This eastern African species occupies two geographically isolated ranges. One population is found in Ethiopia, particularly in the Ethiopian Rift Valley, while the second ranges more widely across the eastern and central regions, occurring in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. The two populations show subtle differences in plumage, with the Ethiopian race (C. p. personatus) displaying more extensive green breast plumage and minute brown plumes on the face, while the southern and eastern race (C. p. leopoldi) has a completely bare black face and less green on the breast.

The bird favors open woodland, thickets, and cultivated areas with scattered trees. It typically occurs at altitudes up to 1,400 metres, though at Loita it has been recorded at elevations reaching 2,200 metres among scattered cedar, acacia, and evergreen scrub. This adaptability to various woodland types makes it a relatively common sight across much of its range.

Behaviour & diet

True to its colloquial name's implication of a dismissive attitude, the bare-faced go-away-bird is a notably noisy and restless species. It is often observed moving about singly or in small groups, seldom remaining in one location for long. Its vocal nature and active foraging behavior make it conspicuous despite its woodland habitat.

These birds are primarily frugivorous, feeding on fruits, leaf buds, and seeds. During breeding season, pairs construct their nests in tall acacia trees, where females lay two to three greenish-white eggs—a clutch size typical of turaco species. This breeding strategy, combined with their food preferences, ties them closely to the acacia-dominated woodland ecosystems of their range.

Best time & places to see it

The bare-faced go-away-bird is most reliably encountered in the eastern and central African regions of its range, particularly in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, where it is more widespread than in Ethiopia. Open woodland areas with scattered acacia trees are the most productive habitats for locating this species. The bird's noisy and restless nature means that visitors to suitable habitats often locate birds by ear before spotting them visually.

Photography tips

Photographing the bare-faced go-away-bird requires patience due to its restless habits. Position yourself in open woodland with good sightlines and listen for its distinctive "kow-kow" call to locate birds. The species' striking bare black face and green plumage photograph well in bright morning light, which emphasizes these diagnostic features. Photographing birds in tall acacia trees can be challenging; a telephoto lens (400mm or longer) is advisable to capture detailed images of the face and beak coloration that distinguish males from females.