The eastern plantain-eater (Crinifer zonurus) is named because it is a member of the Musophagidae ("banana eaters") family which includes the go-away-birds and the turacos – none of which eat plantains or bananas! An interesting morphological feature of the musophagids is semi-zygodactyly -- their fourth toe, which usually points outwards, and can be rotated backwards to within 70 degrees of the hallux (toe number one). Unlike the western grey plantain-eater, the eastern species has large white tail patches, and lacks the streaks on the chest and the dark base of the wings as seen in the western species. Also known as the eastern grey plantain-eater, it feeds on fruit, especially figs, and other vegetable matter in open woodland habitats of tropical east Africa.
