Red-breasted toucan

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Red-breasted toucan
Tucano de bico verde (Ramphastos dicolorus).jpg
In Parque das Aves, Brazil
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Family: Ramphastidae
Genus: Ramphastos
Species:
R. dicolorus
Binomial name
Ramphastos dicolorus
Ramphastos dicolorus map.svg
Synonyms
  • Rhamphastos dicolorus

The red-breasted toucan or green-billed toucan (Ramphastos dicolorus) is a bird in the family Ramphastidae, the toucans, toucanets, and aracaris. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. [2]

Contents

Taxonomy and systematics

The red-breasted toucan is sister to the channel-billed toucan (R. vitellinus) and Choco toucan (R. brevis). [3] It is monotypic. [2]

Skull of a red-breasted toucan Green-Billed Toucan skull MAV 01.jpg
Skull of a red-breasted toucan

Description

The red-breasted 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]

Distribution and habitat

The red-breasted 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]

Behavior

Movement

In the southern part of its range the red-breasted toucan moves to lower elevations in the austral winter. After breeding some move from natural forest into plantations. [4]

Grotao Green Bill (sm).jpg

Feeding

The red-breasted 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]

Breeding

The red-breasted 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]

Vocal and non-vocal sounds

The red-breasted 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]

Status

The IUCN originally assessed the red-breasted 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]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Channel-billed toucan</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toco toucan</span> Species of bird

The toco toucan is a species of bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is the largest species of toucan and has a distinctive appearance, with a black body, a white throat, chest and uppertail-coverts, and red undertail-coverts. Its most conspicuous feature is its massive beak, which is yellow-orange with a black base and large spot on the tip. It is endemic to South America, where it has a wide distribution from the Guianas south to northern Argentina and Uruguay, and its range has recently been expanding southwards. Unlike other toucans, which inhabit continuous forests, toco toucans inhabit a variety of semi-open habitats at altitudes of up to 1,750 m. They are especially common in the Brazilian cerrado, gallery forests, and the wetlands of the Pantanal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-throated toucan</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collared aracari</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toucan barbet</span> Species of bird

The toucan barbet is a barbet native to western Ecuador and Colombia. Along with the prong-billed barbet, it forms the family Semnornithidae, and is closely related to the toucans. It is a medium-sized barbet with a robust yellow bill. It has striking plumage, having a black head with grey throat and nape, red breast and upper belly, yellow lower belly and grey wings and tail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-throated toucan</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Choco toucan</span> Species of bird

The Choco toucan is a near-passerine bird in the family Ramphastidae, the toucans, toucanets, and aracaris. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-breasted mountain toucan</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-browed toucanet</span> Species of bird

The yellow-browed toucanet is an Endangered species of near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is endemic to Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Groove-billed toucanet</span> Species of bird

The groove-billed toucanet is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-necked aracari</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ivory-billed aracari</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pale-mandibled aracari</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lettered aracari</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stripe-billed aracari</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guianan toucanet</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spot-billed toucanet</span> Species of bird

The spot-billed toucanet is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden-collared toucanet</span> Species of bird

The golden-collared toucanet is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-eared toucanet</span> Species of bird

The yellow-eared toucanet is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found from Honduras to Ecuador.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Citron-throated toucan</span> Species of bird

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.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2018). "Red-breasted Toucan Ramphastos dicolorus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22682129A131278894. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22682129A131278894.en . Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  2. 1 2 Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (August 2022). "Jacamars, puffbirds, barbets, toucans, honeyguides". IOC World Bird List. v 12.2. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  3. 1 2 Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 24 July 2022. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved July 24, 2022
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Short, L.L. and C. J. Sharpe (2020). Red-breasted Toucan (Ramphastos dicolorus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.rebtou2.01 retrieved January 4, 2023
  5. Perrella, Daniel Fernandes; Guida, Fernanda Junqueira Vaz (2019). "Additional information on reproductive behavior of the Red-breasted Toucan, Ramphastos dicolorus (Aves: Piciformes: Ramphastidae)". Biota Neotropica. 19 (1). doi: 10.1590/1676-0611-BN-2018-0576 . ISSN   1676-0611. S2CID   91439429.
  6. van Perlo, Ber (2009). A Field Guide to the Birds of Brazil. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 188. ISBN   978-0-19-530155-7.