Channel-Billed Toucan

Description

These subspecies were previously considered separate species, but all three, along with the citron-throated toucan, will interbreed freely wherever they meet. However, the subspecies R. v. ariel is closer to R. v. culminatus than to the nominate, and are by some already considered close to distinct species status. As R. v. ariel was described before R. v. culminatus, if separated they would become Ramphastos ariel ariel and R. a. culminatus. There also exists an isolated population in eastern Brazil. It looks very similar to, and has traditionally been considered part of, R. v. ariel, but molecular analysis suggests that it has been isolated for a long time and is a yet-undescribed separate subspecies or possibly even species (Weckstein, 2005).

Toucans have short wings, so don’t fly far to locate food; they prefer to forage through the forest canopy by hopping from branch to branch, then making short, flap-and-glide flights to the next trees. These birds use their long bills like tongs or chopsticks to snip ripe fruit from the ends of thin branches where other animals cannot reach. Once they have a morsel, they toss it into the air, then catch and swallow it whole. A toucan’s long reach allows it to plunder tree cavities and nests in search of other birds’ eggs and chicks, and they will eat insects, frogs, and small reptiles as well.