Milieux naturels et conservation de la biodiversité, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, UFR Biosciences, UPR Biologie de la conservation et gestion de la faune, Abidjan-Cocody, Côte d’Ivoire
From August 2015 to July of the following year, the influence of stratification and types of plant formations on the distribution of turacos in four natural environments in Côte d’Ivoire was studied. As a result, three strata (low, intermediate and canopy) of vegetation and several types of plant formations were chosen for the sampling of turacos. In each of these natural environments, turacos species have identified by the method point indices of abundance in six facies of habitats different by their structure and plant composition. The result is five species of turacos whose distribution varies according to vegetation strata and types of plant formation. The Great Blue Turaco Corythaeola cristata is abundantly distributed in the canopy of primary forests while other species are more frequent in the intermediate stratum of secondary forests or forest galleries, except the Western Grey Plantain-Eater Crinifer piscator which is distributed in the savannah. Thus, each species of touracos is strongly linked to a type of plant formation that constitutes its preferred habitat. This study on the distribution factors of turacos is necessary and must be considered in the perspective of sustainable conservation of these birds and the preservation of their respective habitats.