The Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco) is the largest and best known species in the toucan family. Toucans vary in body size between 18 and 63cm. They feed on fruits, insects and other prey such as small lizards. Their diet also includes other birds chicks and eggs. Toco Toucans live on trees. They rather sit on branches instead of hopping around. They nest in tree holes, where they lay between 2 and 4 eggs. They use their bill to pluck fruits and other food from trees. Toucans are sedentary. They are typically seen in pairs or small groups.
Main characteristics
The Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco) is the biggest member of the toucan family. It is very popular among the zoos of the world. The name of the species derives from “tupi tucana”.
The Toco Toucan has a striking plumage with a mainly black body, a white throat, chest and uppertail-coverts, and a thin blue skin around the eye. The most noticeable feature, however, is its huge bill, which is yellow-orange, tending to deeper reddish-orange on its lower sections and culmen, and with a black base and large spot on the tip. It looks heavy, but as in other toucans it is relatively light because the inside largely is hollow. Two toes point forward and two point backward, which stabilizes the bird on the branch. There is no sexual dimorphism between males and females.
The life expectancy of a Toco Toucan ranges between 10 and 15 years. The Toco Toucan likes to live in open areas, lowland rainforests and palm groves of eastern South America, including Guyana, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil (Sabana de Cerrado) and northern Argentina (Selva de Misiones). Unlike other toucan species, Ramphastos toco prefers open areas to dense rainforest. The Toco Toucan feeds mainly on fruits but also on insects, small reptiles and bird eggs. Its curved bill is used for obtaining food.
The Toco Toucan will mate at different times, depending on where they live. They breed once a year and have two to four eggs in a clutch. They nest in tree holes, which they use year after year. After an incubation period of 16-20 days, the young toucans hatch. They are born without feathers and are blind. They grow very slowly. Initially the nestlings do not look like toucans at all, as they do not develop their characteristic bill until months later. After about three weeks, they open their eyes.
Toco Toucan, Ramphastos toco
Facts: How are they? They are between 53 and 56cm long. Their average weight is 540g. Their body is black and their throat white. A blue ring surrounds their eyes. The most characteristic feature is the enormous bill with a large spot on the tip. It looks heavy, but it is relatively light because the inside largely is hollow. Where do they live? In savannahs and areas with few trees. They also live in gallery forests and tropical moist forests. How is the species geographically distributed? South America: From Guyana to Bolivia, Paraguay and northern Argentina. What do they feed on? Fruits, and occasionally insects, reptiles and other birds eggs.
