Toucans Habitat

Toucans, with their long bright colored bills, have always been depicted as birds that love to talk, talk and talk in many children's illustrations! But there is so much more about this bird than the amount they can talk, well not talk like you and me, but squawk, chatter, etc. I am going to tell you all about their habitat, what they are, and how they breed.

Habitat of Toucans
Native to Southern Mexico, Central, South American and Caribbean region, these birds belong to the family of near-passerine birds Ramphastidae. Their habitat is primarily the tropical and subtropical rain forests, as they need forest-like green climatic conditions to thrive in. There are about 40 different species of toucans, each varying in size.

Physical Characteristics
Toucans range in size, from 11 inches to 30 inches. They have distinct, large, serrated colorful bills which are made up of keratin, and the beak's size is half of their body length. The length of the bill is approximately seven and a half inches. Their bill is very useful in plundering all fruits in range without much movement, and their large bill size makes them intimidating to other small birds. The toucan has a long narrow and singularly frayed on each side tongue; nearly 6 inches in length. Their necks are short and thick while the bird's plumage is bright yellow, blue, red, black or orange with vivid patterns. Their colorful feathers allows them to blend into their surroundings, thus saving them from predators. As they are not migratory in nature, their small wings are similar to different types of birds that are forest dwelling and that travel short distances. One claw has two digits in front and two at the back and, are structured to make their standing on branches very comfortable. Toucans in the wild can live for up to 20 years.

Toucans Diet
Naturalists believe that their ancestors caught fish and were primarily carnivorous in their dietary habits. But they have evolved and now eat fruits, though they are occasionally omnivorous as well. Their diet primarily consist of fruits, but they are also known to feast on insects, rodents, lizards, reptiles and smaller birds. Toucan loves to plunder nests and its occupants; eggs and nestling. As pets, these can be fed a complete insect diet. Their dietary habit of eating fruits and dispersing the seeds helps the ecological system to propagate fruit trees naturally.

Some Interesting Facts
Why are toucans such interesting birds? Well see for yourself!

• Their animation appears on many cereal boxes world over.
• These were given their name by the Tupi Indians of Brazil. They derived it from the word tucano.
• Central and South Americans associate the toucans with evil spirits, whereas some indigenous tribes believe that they are conduit between the worlds of the living and the spirits.
• The largest of all toucans is the Toco toucan; 64 cm tall, while the smallest is the Aracar toucanet; only 36 cm.
• These are one of the noisiest animals ever. They live in small flocks of about six birds, and that definitely is a lot of noise!
• They use their beaks for wrestling each other, and pass fruit to their mates.
• They make their nest in tree hollows, which they dig up with their beaks, and lay no more than two to four eggs each year.
• Nestlings are born blind, naked (absolutely no down) and without beaks.
• Toucans sleep in tree hollows, and if they don't fit in, they simply curl themselves into a feathery ball. Talk about fitting in!

This beautiful beaked bird is fast disappearing, because just as other birds of tropical rainforests, their habitat is being destroyed due to large-scale deforestation. A lot of people want to keep them as pets which is why illegal capturing and breeding of these birds is also on the rise. Hence, it's up to us to decide, do we want a world without them?