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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
toco
toucan |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Aves |
| ORDER: |
Piciformes |
| FAMILY: |
Ramphastidae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Ramphastos
(large beak) toco |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
Orange
skin around eye; black body except for white throat |
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| SIZE: |
Body:
62.5 cm (25 in) |
| Beak:
18.75 cm (7.5 in) |
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| DIET: |
Omnivorous;
mainly fruits, but occasionally insects, reptiles,
birds and eggs |
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| INCUBATION: |
16-20 days |
| CLUTCH
SIZE |
2-4
eggs |
| FLEDGING
DURATION |
8-9
weeks |
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| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
3-4
years |
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| LIFE
SPAN: |
Up
to 20 years |
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| RANGE: |
Throughout
eastern South America |
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| HABITAT: |
Tropical
rain forests |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
No
data |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
No
data |
| CITES |
Appendix
II |
| USFWS |
No
data |
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| 1. |
The
toucan's beak appears quite heavy, but is actually
light. It is hollow, made of protein keratin with
thin rods of bone to support it - similar in consistency
to a hard sponge. |
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| 2. |
Its
tongue is like a feather which is used to catch
food and flick it down its throat. |
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| 3. |
In
its native region, toucans are associated with evil
spirits and are thought to be the incarnation of
a demon. In certain religions of South and Central
America, the father of a new child must not eat
toucan flesh as it might bewitch the newborn and
cause it to fade away. The toucan can also be a
tribal totem and the medicine man can use it as
an incarnation to fly to the spirit world. |
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| 4. |
The
toucan is a poor flyer, moving from tree to tree
mostly by hopping. |
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| 5. |
Toucans
have a loud frog like call that can be heard up
to a half mile away in the jungle! |
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| 6. |
Although
scientists have yet to discover the exact function
of such a large bill, they believe it may play an
important role in the courtship display and as a
defensive weapon. |
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| 7. |
When
toucans sleep, they turn their head so that their
long bill rests on their back and their tail is
folded over their head. The bird becomes a ball
of feathers. Often found in abandoned tree hollows
or old woodpecker holes, 5-6 adults may sleep in
one hole! |
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| This
species range is the victim of heavy deforestation.
There are areas of South and Central America where
some toucan species are rare due to hunting for
food, ornamental feathers, and trophy. Many species
of toucan are popular in the pet trade due to its
brightly colored bill and keen intelligence. |
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|
|
| Gotch,
A.F. Birds - Their Latin Names Explained.
Poole, Dorst: Blandford Press, 1981. |
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| Perrins,
Dr. Christopher. Birds: Their Life, Their Ways,
Their World. New York: The Reader's Digest Association,
Inc. 1979. |
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|
Perrins,
Dr. Christopher M. The Illustrated Encyclopedia
of Birds: The Definitive Reference to Birds of
the World. New York: Prentice Hall Press.
1990.
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| Perrins,
Dr. Christopher M. And Dr. Alex L.A. Middleton,
eds. The Encyclopedia of Birds. New York:
Facts on File Pub. 1985. |
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| http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/ramphastos/r._toco$narrative.html |
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| http://www.emeraldforestbirds.com/specpage/toucan.htm |
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