Toucans
Toucans
Ramphastos sulfuratus
There are 42 species of Toucan in Latin America, six of which are found in the lowlands and rainforests of Costa Rica.These flashy, colourful birds are among the most recognizable in Central America, thanks in part to their trademark bill. Despite its large size, the bill is surprisingly light, and enables the birds to thrust deep within tree holes in search of food. Huge bills and vibrant plumage make the commonly sighted Chestnut-Mandibled Toucan and Keel-Billed Toucan hard to miss.
From Costa Rica's Pacific slope to the Caribbean lowlands, visitors can observe these toucan species: keel-billed, chestnut-mandibled, emerald toucanet, yellow-eared toucanet, collared aracari and the fiery-billed aracari.
Colour and size variations occur between species, but all toucans are frugivores, eating fleshy fruits such as papaya, cecropia, berries and palm. They typically forage in the middle and canopy layers of the forest and occasionally supplement their diet with eggs, small reptiles, insects and bird hatchlings.
From Costa Rica's Pacific slope to the Caribbean lowlands, visitors can observe these toucan species: keel-billed, chestnut-mandibled, emerald toucanet, yellow-eared toucanet, collared aracari and the fiery-billed aracari.
Colour and size variations occur between species, but all toucans are frugivores, eating fleshy fruits such as papaya, cecropia, berries and palm. They typically forage in the middle and canopy layers of the forest and occasionally supplement their diet with eggs, small reptiles, insects and bird hatchlings.
The chestnut-mandibled toucan (Ramphastos swansonii) is the largest toucan in Costa Rica. Its multi-colored body is generally black with a yellow bib, and its bill is brown on the lower portion and bright yellow on the upper. The beautiful keel-billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) inhabits lowland and mid-elevation forests and is commonly spotted throughout the country. This vibrant bird has a black body, blue feet, a yellow chest and face, and a rainbow-hued beak with a scarlet tip.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Keel-billed_toucan%2C_costa_rica.jpg/800px-Keel-billed_toucan%2C_costa_rica.jpg
Map image: http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/rangeMaps/v1.0/thumb/303416.gif
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Chestnut-mandibled_toucan.JPG/1024px-Chestnut-mandibled_toucan.JPG
Map image: http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/rangeMaps/v1.0/thumb/303416.gif
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Chestnut-mandibled_toucan.JPG/1024px-Chestnut-mandibled_toucan.JPG