Bird Guide

Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan vs Plate-billed Mountain Toucan

Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan (Andigena hypoglauca)

Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan

Andigena hypoglauca

Large313 gForest

The grey-breasted mountain toucan is 41 to 48 cm (16 to 19 in) long and weighs 244 to 370 g (8.6 to 13 oz). Males and females within each subspecies have the same plumage, and the two subspecies have the same bill pattern though the female's bill is shorter. The bill's base is yellow to greenish with a black band near the base. The maxilla's outer 2/3 is red, meeting the yellow diagonally. The mandible's outer half is black. Both subspecies have a black cap, face, and nape; a gray-blue band on the hindneck; a greenish brown back; and gray to gray-blue underparts.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Christoph Moning · CC BY 4.0
Plate-billed Mountain Toucan (Andigena laminirostris)

Plate-billed Mountain Toucan

Andigena laminirostris

Large311 gForest

Plate-billed Mountain-Toucans have a large laterally compressed bill, the front half of which is black and the back half is mostly red with a raised yellow plate on the upper mandible, a unique feature for which the bird was named. They have a reddish brown iris and a bare ocular area that is yellow below and turquoise green above. The crown and nape are black and the rest of the upper parts are bronzy olive. The side of the neck and underparts are blue gray with a yellow patch on the flanks which is partially covered by the wings. Voice: This is the most vocal of the mountain toucans, and the sexes often duet. The male makes a loud, repeating "tryyyyyyyk" sound and the female makes a drier "t't't't't't't't" noise. The bird utters rattles and clicks loud enough to be heard from over a kilometer away.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Plate-billed Mountain Toucan
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Call · Pichincha: Tandayapa ridge 3 km SSW Tandayapa, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The Lilac Breasted Roller from Sullivan's Island, United States · CC BY 2.0

Where you might meet both

Learn this pair in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Play today's Daily Bird

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan and Plate-billed Mountain Toucan.