Toco toucans come from South America. Their exact purpose isn't clear, though they're believed to play a role in the courthship ritual and in self-defense. These birds are primarily omnivorous. In the wild, the longevity of the toco toucan is typically 20 years, which might extend up to a maximum of 26. This is almost a third of the total length of the bird. In some parts of their range they are considered an incarnation of the devil and it is believed that if a father eats a toucan it can bewitch their child. The bill is useful as a feeding tool. However, in captivity, their lifespan decreases to about 18 years. At the tip is another black section. [online] Available at: [Accessed 22 April 2020]. They tend to hop more than they fly. They can weigh nearly two pounds and grow to 25 inches long, with their bill accounting for nearly half of their length. On the throat there is a patch of white plumage. It is also enlisted in BirdLife International’s ‘Least Concern’ list. One of the most notable features of the toco toucan is its large bill. Unlike other birds, the toucan’s beak is actually rather soft, so much so that they are unable to use it for conventional methods like fighting or digging. They live on a diet of fruit, The toco toucans vocalizations sounds like the croaking of a, Behmke, S. 2011. By Jf1911jf1911 (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons, By gipe25 uploaded by benjli (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gipe25/3553590854/) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons, Behmke, S. 2011. The majority of the toco toucan is coloured black. Ramphastos toco (amended version of 2016 assessment). Discover How Long Toco toucan Lives. Ramphastos toco (amended version of 2016 assessment). While its size may deter predators, it is of little use in fighting them. Courtship involves the male and female tossing fruit between each other. However, they mainly thrive on fruits. The Tocos have bills with vibrant colors which help them camouflage in the dense forest. The female is generally smaller than the male. The toco toucan enjoys a habitat of open forests. Occasionally they will be found of groups of 6-7. They can be found in the following countries, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname and Uruguay. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T22682164A113557535. Young toucans can be observed with the bill under their wings. Because of their poor flying capacity, they often fall a trap to predators that are quite unusual for other bird species. BirdLife International 2017. The toco toucan birds have been carved into many South American tribal totem poles as an incarnation to fly to the spirit world. The birds use them to reach fruit on branches that are too small to support their weight. Toco toucan birds are found in many countries throughout South America that are located mainly between the central and the eastern parts of the continent including Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Bolivia, and Argentina. Their beak is the largest relative to body size of any. The nests, which they usually acquire from other species of birds like woodpeckers, are also hollowed and modified by the toco parents to make them spacious before breeding. Although it is thought that, the large, colorful bill plays a part while choosing a mate, there is no conclusive evidence supporting this theory. 2020. Toco Toucan | National Geographic. The toco toucan, the largest and best-known toucan species, is at home in South America's tropical forests. Both male and female toucans possess large, colorful bills. Your email address will not be published. A few individuals of the species would live together in one single hollow. Diet. This species is preyed upon by large birds of prey, big cats and humans. The eggs are incubated for 16-20 days by both the father and the mother toucans. Generally, they lay a clutch of two to five eggs every year. However, in captivity, their lifespan decreases to about 18 years. They are not adept flyers and will instead move from tree to tree by hopping. Smaller birds have shorter lifespans. This bill is around 19cm (7.5in) in size and is comprised of keratin (the same substance as human hair) which makes it very light. These toucans nest in tree cavities and usually lay two to four eggs, which both parents take turns incubating.

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