Ramphastos Toucans are the largest of the toucan family, related to the Asian/African hornbills, along with woodpeckers, barbets, jacamars and kingfishers.These toucans are tropical and subtropical near passerine birds from Mexico, and Central and South America, which are brightly marked and have enormous, often colourful, bills.
This genus has a size ranging from 42 to 61 centimetres (17 to 24 in) in length. All have black wings, tails and thighs, but the colour of the remaining plumage depends on the exact species involved. All the species are basically fruit-eating, but will take insects and other small prey. They are arboreal and nest in tree holes laying 2–4 white eggs. They are essentially resident birds, but may take part in minor, local movements (e.g., to lower altitudes in the winter).
There are 7 species in this genus, 4 of which are Bolivian:
Channel-billed Toucan, Ramphastos vitellinus
Green-billed Toucan, Ramphastos dicolorus
White-throated Toucan, Ramphastos tucanus
Toco Toucan, Ramphastos toco
In the case of the Channel-billed and the White-throated, supspp. are recognised as follows:
Channel-billed Toucan, Ramphastos vitellinus
Citron-throated Toucan, Ramphastos (vitellinus) citreolaemus.
Ariel Toucan, Ramphastos (vitellinus) ariel
Yellow-ridged Toucan, Ramphastos (vitellinus/ariel) culminatus
White-throated Toucan, Ramphastos tucanus
Red-billed Toucan, Ramphastos (tucanus) tucanus
Cuvier's Toucan, Ramphastos (tucanus) cuvieri
The Bolivian subspp. of the Channel-billed is the R. vitellinus culminatus, called the Yellow-ridged Toucan, a short video of which may be seen here:
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/channel-billed-toucan-ramphastos-vitellinus/yellow-ridged-toucan-perched-showing-all-kind-head
The Bolivian subspp. of the White-throated Toucan is the R. tucanus tucanus, called the Red-billed.
Toucans are not hard to see, some are tame and kept as pets. In Santa Cruz, one of the hostels - Residencia Bolivar, keeps Toco Toucans which can get quite playful with the residents.
In addition to Ramphastos Toucans, Bolivia also has toucanets and aracaris, with a total of well over a dozen in the toucan family, mostly in the departamentos of Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando, Oruro, Chuquisaca, La Paz and Cochabamba.
Well worth visiting the country just to see these birds. Here in NYC someone has a Ramphastos toucan, it's called Pogo and you can get a Youtube vid of it with these key words....very cool. The hostel in Santa Cruz by the way has a good write up in Lonely Planet.
ReplyDeletePogo lives out in Brooklyn. Much better pet than a dog. If you get a chance, go and see toucans in the wild. Very intelligent birds, very loving. I like them better than parrots.
ReplyDeleteOne of the coolest countries to see toucans in, not just toucans, this country has it lots you will not see anywhere else...check out the Seriema on this blog too. What a bird! Over 70 hummingbirds, lots of parrots, raptors, this is an undiscovered treasure. I've been to other countries including Latin American ones, birds are great all over Latin America by the way - Bolivia is next on my list.
ReplyDeleteThese are way cool birds, when they court they throw food to each other and knock each other's beaks.
ReplyDeleteWhere can you get a toucan as a pet in NYC?
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