Green-billed toucan | |
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In Parque das Aves, Brazil | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Piciformes |
Family: | Ramphastidae |
Genus: | Ramphastos |
Species: | R. dicolorus |
Binomial name | |
Ramphastos dicolorus | |
Synonyms | |
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The green-billed toucan (Ramphastos dicolorus), or red-breasted toucan, is a near-passerine bird in the family Ramphastidae, the toucans, toucanets, and aracaris. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. [2]
The green-billed toucan is sister to the channel-billed toucan (R. vitellinus) and Choco toucan (R. brevis). [3] It is monotypic. [2]
The green-billed toucan is 42 to 48 cm (17 to 19 in) long and weighs 265 to 400 g (9.3 to 14 oz); it is the smallest member of genus Ramphastos. The sexes are alike though the female's bill is shorter than the male's. Their bill is mostly green to green-yellow, with a vertical black line at its base, red and ivory tomial "teeth", and some green striations on the maxilla. Their crown, nape, upperparts, and tail are black but for red uppertail coverts. Their face is yellow with bare red, blue, and yellow-green skin around the eye. Their throat and breast are yellow with a red area within the lower breast. Their belly and undertail coverts are red and their flanks black. [4]
The green-billed toucan is found from Tocantins, Minas Gerais, and Espírito Santo in south-central, east-central, and southeastern Brazil south through eastern Paraguay, Bolivia and into northern Argentina's Formosa, Chaco, Corrientes, and Misiones provinces. It primarily inhabits subtropical and tropical, sub-montane and montane forest, but also scrublands, savanna with trees, and plantations. In elevation it mostly ranges between 100 and 1,500 m (300 and 4,900 ft); it occurs as high as 2,070 m (6,800 ft) but only rarely. [4]
In the southern part of its range the green-billed toucan moves to lower elevations in the austral winter. After breeding some move from natural forest into plantations. [4]
The green-billed toucan feeds mostly on fruits, of both native and introduced plants as well as green coffee beans and fruit in orchards. To a lesser extent it also feeds on insects and small birds. It usually forages in pairs and small groups but 20 or more may gather at times. It usually forages in the forest canopy but will pick up fallen fruit from the ground. [4]
The green-billed toucan breeds between October and February in the southern part of its range and from January to June in the north. Pairs are territorial. Males allopreen and courtship-feed females. The species nests in cavities in both living and dead trees, either those made by natural decay or excavated by woodpeckers, and will enlarge both the entrance hole and the cavity if needed. Typically the bottom of the cavity has a layer of ejested seeds. The few nests studied have ranged from 0.7 to 6.0 m (2 to 20 ft) above the ground. The clutch size is two to four eggs. Both adults incubate the eggs and both provision nestlings. The incubation period is about 16 to 19 days and fledging occurs 40 to 50 days after hatch. [4] [5]
The green-billed toucan is one of the "croaker" group of toucans. [3] Its song is a "loud, raucous 'WRèh' or 'niuh'." [6] Other vocalizations are a "long series of noisy honking 'grrekk' notes" and "low 'ek', 'zneep', [and] growl-like begging". It also claps its bill and rattles its tongue in the bill. [4]
The IUCN originally assessed the green-billed toucan as Near Threatened but since 2004 has rated it as being of Least Concern. It has a very large range, but its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing. No immediate threats have been identified. [1] It is thought to be "reasonably common in general." It occurs in several protected areas but outside them is sometimes hunted or persecuted for taking orchard fruit. [4]
The channel-billed toucan is a near-passerine bird in the family Ramphastidae found on the Caribbean island of Trinidad and in tropical South America as far south as southern Brazil and central Bolivia.
The white-throated toucan is a near-passerine bird in the family Ramphastidae found in South America throughout the Amazon Basin including the adjacent Tocantins and Araguaia River drainage. It prefers tropical humid forest, but also occurs in woodland and locally in riverine forest within cerrado.
The collared aracari or collared araçari is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found from Mexico to Colombia and Venezuela.
The yellow-throated toucan is a Near Threatened species of bird in the family Ramphastidae, the toucans, toucanets, and aracaris. It is found from Honduras south into northern South America and beyond to Peru.
The Choco toucan is a near-passerine bird in the family Ramphastidae, the toucans, toucanets, and aracaris. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.
The grey-breasted mountain toucan is a Near Threatened species of bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
The yellow-browed toucanet is an Endangered species of near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is endemic to Peru.
The groove-billed toucanet is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela.
The black-necked aracari or black-necked araçari is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.
The ivory-billed aracari or ivory-billed araçari is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
The pale-mandibled aracari or pale-billed araçari is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Ecuador and Peru.
The lettered aracari or lettered araçari is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
The stripe-billed aracari or stripe-billed araçari is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama.
The Guianan toucanet, or Guyana toucanet is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Gould's toucanet is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Bolivia and Brazil.
The spot-billed toucanet is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.
The golden-collared toucanet is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
The yellow-eared toucanet is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found from Honduras to Ecuador.
The tepui toucanet or Whitely's toucanet is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Brazil, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.
The citron-throated toucan is a near-passerine bird in the family Ramphastidae, the toucans, toucanets, and aracaris. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela.