Toco Toucan
Ramphastos toco
Fun Facts About the Toco Toucan
The toco toucan's iconic bill is very lightweight because it is made of keratin, just like our fingernails.
Toco toucans look like they have blue eyes, but it is actually blue skin around their eyes!
Toucans often live longer in the wild than captivity. In the wild, they can live more than 20 years!
Where Does the Toco Toucan Live?
Toco toucans are found in a portion of South America!
They are found in a wide range of open habitats, like woodlands and savannas, but most call tropical rainforests home.
What Do Toco Toucans Eat?
Toco Toucans are omnivores.
Rainforests provide many types of fruit, like figs and guavas, which make up a lot of a toucan's diet. Toucans will also feed on small animals, like reptiles and young bird, and will eat eggs!
What Do Toco Toucans Look Like?
Toucans are known for their large and colorful beaks, which can reach up to 8 inches long. Their beaks are perfect for plucking fruit and small animals from the treetops and even for peeling the fruit!
They are a tall bird, standing up to 2-feet tall! Males and females look almost identical, so it can be hard to tell them apart.
What Do Toco Toucans Do All Day?
Toucans Are Diurnal
Toucans are just like us! They like to stay awake during the day and sleep at night. They get pretty noisy and active in the late afternoon before they go to sleep.
Life in the Trees
Toucans are arboreal, which means that they live in trees. They hollow-out tree holes to build their nest where they are protected from predators like eagles, hawks, boas, and jaguars.
On the Hunt
Toucans spend most of the day searching for food and traveling to new areas. They usually like to be alone, but can occasionally be found in small groups!
Toco Toucan Communication
Toco toucans are mostly solitary, meaning they live alone! Toucans are sometimes found in small groups and have been known to communicate with each other by making a clicking sound. They will also make a loud croak when they sense predators.
During the breeding season, males will make a loud chuffing sound to show the female he is interested. He will also give the female a gift, which is usually food. The male will give the female pieces of food until she fully accepts him.
Toco Toucans Are Great Parents
Toco toucans will lay 2 to 4 eggs during the spring breeding season. Both the male and female will take turns sitting on the nest and providing food for the chicks. Young toucans will stay with their parents for about 6-weeks before they venture off on their own.
Luckily, toco toucan populations are doing just fine!
IUCN Rating: Least Concern
The biggest threats that toco toucans face is the destruction of their rainforest home. As the human population expands, we create farmlands that destroy the toucan’s natural habitat. Even though you may not live anywhere near toco toucans, you can still help by creating a Certified Wildlife Habitat near your home. You can plant native plants and put some kind of water source for the wildlife. You can also buy bamboo products instead of hardwood or by purchasing sustainably harvested wood.
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