About the Toco Toucan
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 huge beak, which is yellow-orange with a black base and a 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 (5,740 ft). They are especially…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
Toco toucans are the largest species of toucan, with an average length of 56 cm (22 in). They cannot be mistaken for any other birds and are easily recognized by their large orange beaks. The body is mainly glossy black, with a white throat and upper throat. This white patch will sometimes have a citrine yellow tint and a red band where it meets the black breast, but these features are highly variable between individuals. The rump is white, while the underside of the tail, including the crissum, is red. Voice: The species' voice consists of a variety of grunting, croaking, or snoring notes similar to those given by toads, including "groomkk", "grunt", "grunnkkt", "kkreekk", "grenggkt", "grr", "ggrekkekk", "arkk-rk", "rrraa", and "rrro-rrro". These notes can be made singly or in a long series, with up to 50 notes given per minute. The toucan's song is a series of grunting notes.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where the Toco Toucan lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Peru.
When to see the Toco Toucan
Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Channel-billed ToucanRamphastos vitellinusLike other toucans, the channel-billed is brightly marked and has a huge bill.
White-throated ToucanRamphastos tucanusLike other toucans, the white-throated red billed toucan is brightly marked and has a huge maroon bill.
Red-breasted ToucanRamphastos dicolorusThe 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.
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