11 Unexpected Facts About Toucans
About Toucans: Whether hawking cereal for breakfast or captivating children during a natural history program, toucans are recognizable and well-liked creatures. These clever birds may be found in the rainforests of Central and South America, and they have enormous, colorful bills.
Learn amazing details about the unique bills of toucans, their position as a protected species, and their activities up in the rainforest canopy.
Toucans Produce a Lot of Noise
About Toucans: According to the San Diego Zoo, the popular term “toucan” originates from the sound the birds make.1. Among the noisiest birds in the world are toucans. They have a croaking quality to their singing. Additionally, they clang and tap with their bills. Certain toucan species can also produce sounds like snarling, barking, and braying.
The voices of female toucans are usually higher than those of males. They distinguish themselves from other groups of toucans by using their cries to attract other birds to excellent foraging spots.
They Make Various Uses of Their Bills
It’s useful to have the bill around for supper. Using their huge appendage, toucans are able to reach fruit that would otherwise be inaccessible. They then utilize their incredibly dexterous bill’s serrated edge to peel and consume the fruit.
Researchers have also discovered that the toucan’s bill aids in its ability to cool down. According to a study that was published in the journal Science, toucans use their ability to control blood flow to manage body temperature. In order to avoid overcooling when they sleep, they also tuck it under their wings.
They Lack Grace in the Heavens
About Toucans: Even though their enormous bills are helpful, toucans rarely look graceful as they fly, despite this fact. Les Beletsky notes in “Birds of the World” that “toucans often look awkward or unbalanced in their slow, undulating flight, probably because the large bill seems to be pulling the large bird behind it.
They Dwell in the Canopies of the Rainforest
About Toucans: Toucans may spend more time hopping than flying for this reason. Nestled in the leaves, they live most of their lives up in the canopies of the rainforests. Mature forests with fully grown trees at a low level and plenty of ripe fruit for eating are their preferred habitat.
Because they dislike flying across rivers, barriers between various species are frequently formed by waterways. Although some migrate periodically between forests on mountain slopes and those in lower lying areas, most dwell in the same forest year-round.
They Could Be Different Sizes
According to the San Diego Zoo, toucan species vary widely in length and weight.SixThe largest is the toco toucan (Ramphastos toco), which may grow up to 1.9 pounds (860 grams) and measure roughly 24 inches (61 cm). At 12.5 inches (32 centimeters), the tawny-tufted toucanet (Selenidera nattereri) is the smallest. At about 3.4 ounces (95 grams), the lettered aracari (Pteroglossus inscriptus) is the lightest.
The Toucan Is Social
Usually seen in flocks of three to twelve, toucans are gregarious birds who enjoy spending time together. A group of 20 or more birds may occasionally reside together. They are thought to be monogamous. It has been observed that the birds engage in a sort of courtship ritual in which they throw fruit to one another.
They Face Dangers in Nature
About Toucans: Due to its “such an extremely large range,” the toco toucan—possibly the most well-known and identifiable of all the toucans—is classified as a “least concern” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List.7. Nonetheless, fewer people live there overall.
Hunters who catch toucans to sell as pets, food, or trophy birds also pose a threat to these birds. Farmers occasionally hunt them as pests when they steal fruit from orchards in order to prevent them from stealing their crops.
Their Nests Are in Tree Hollows
For their nests, toucans typically use hollowed-out tree cavities. This makes sense, as they rarely venture to the forest floor, spending most of their time high up in the canopy of South and Central America’s rainforests. Occasionally, they settle within the hollows that woodpeckers have left behind. They can deposit up to five eggs there annually, which both parents incubate for a period of fifteen to eighteen days. sleep in the nest by tucking their beak under a wing, turning their head back, and flipping their tail feathers up over their head to form a neat little ball.