Channel-billed Toucan

By Taavet Tenso

Channel-billed Toucan

• The Channel-billed is brightly marked and has a huge bill.

• It is typically 48 cm long with a 9-14 cm bill. It weighs 300 - 430 grams

• The subspecies were previously considered separate species, but all interbreed freely wherever they meet.

Where they live

• They breed in Trinidad and in tropical South America as far south as southern Brazil and central Bolivia.

• Found in forest and woodland. Prefers humid regions, but locally extends into drier regions, along rivers. Mainly in lowlands, but locally to an altitude of 1700 m.

Behavior

• The species is an arboreal fruit-eater, but will take insects and small reptiles, eggs and nestlings of other birds and frog

• The call is a croaking cree-op cree-op cree-op• The parents are both active in raising the young.

The white eggs are laid in a high unlined tree cavity. However, they can be impatient sitters, often leaving their eggs uncovered for hours at a time.

Behavior

• Newborn toucans remain in the nest after hatching. They are blind and naked at birth, and their eyes open after about 3 weeks

• They are helpless and unable to leave the nest for about 8 weeks, dependent upon both parents to feed them. After this, the young can care for themselves.

More about Channel-billed Toucan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxF01e9b2K4

Thank You for watching!

Taavet Tenso