The Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco) is a large bird in the Ramphastidae family. It is also known as the Common Toucan or the Giant Toucan.
The Toco Toucan has a black body, white cheeks, white throat, white chest, and white uppertail coverts, with red undertail coverts. It has a very large, yellow-orange beak with a black band at the base and a large spot at the tip. Its beak is light and made of fibrous (hairy) keratin, which is the same material as human fingernails. It has bright blue eye-rings. Its tongue is long and flat. Its legs are dark-grey. The male and female have a similar appearance.
It grows to 55-65 centimetres (21-26 inches) tall. Its beak measures 16-23 centimetres (6-9 inches) long.
It is native to central and eastern South America, particularly in Brazil, but also in Peru, Argentina, and Paraguay. It prefers semi-open habitats, such as woodlands and savannahs.
It eats fruit, insects, frogs, reptiles, birds, and bird eggs.
The Toco Toucan is usually seen in pairs or small groups.
It builds a nest in a tall tree, usually in a cavity. The female lays 2-4 eggs, which hatch after 17-18 days. Both parents look after their young, called chicks.
[Location of photographs: Parc Zoologique de Paris in Bois de Vincennes, France]
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM