Bird Guide

Curl-crested Aracari vs Saffron Toucanet

Curl-crested Aracari (Pteroglossus beauharnaisii)

Curl-crested Aracari

Pteroglossus beauharnaisii

Medium216 gForest

The curl-crested aracari is 42 to 46 cm (17 to 18 in) long and weighs 164 to 280 g (5.8 to 9.9 oz). It gains its English name from unique curly, shiny, black feathers on the top of its head and nape; they resemble pieces of plastic or enamel. Males and females are alike except that the female has a shorter bill. Their bill has a brown-orange line at its base. The mandible is ivory becoming orangey at its tip. The maxilla has an orangey culmen and a maroon stripe along its lower part that is wider at the base. Between them the maxilla is green or bluish. Voice: The curl-crested aracari's calls include series of "deep 'rrek' notes, soft 'rrr' to hard, even grunting 'grenk' notes". It also makes a "softer 'et-et'" when settling into a roost. Another author adds a "low, raucous 'cha-cha-cha cha wruh cha--'."

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Lonnie Huffman · CC BY 3.0
Saffron Toucanet (Pteroglossus bailloni)

Saffron Toucanet

Pteroglossus bailloni

Medium146 gForest

It is a relatively long-tailed toucan with a total length of 35–40 cm (14–15.5 in). As suggested by its common name, it is, uniquely among toucans, overall saffron yellow. The back and tail are darker, more olive in color. The rump, ocular skin and patches on the basal half of the otherwise greenish-horn bill are red. The iris is pale yellowish. This species is dimorphic, meaning that males and females have distinguished looks from each other. The adult male has a golden head and breast, olive mantle (the wings, shoulder feathers and back) and red rump.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Arthur Bruck · CC0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Curl-crested Aracari and Saffron Toucanet.