Citron-throated toucan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Citron-throated toucan |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Piciformes |
| Family: | Ramphastidae |
| Genus: | Ramphastos |
| Species: |
R. citreolaemus
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| Binomial name | |
| Ramphastos citreolaemus Gould, 1844
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| Synonyms | |
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The citron-throated toucan (Ramphastos citreolaemus) is a colorful bird from the toucan family. It is known for its bright yellow throat. This bird lives in parts of Colombia and Venezuela.
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About the Citron-throated Toucan
The citron-throated toucan is a type of bird that belongs to a group called near-passerines. This means it's related to songbirds but isn't one itself. It's part of the Ramphastidae family, which includes all toucans, toucanets, and aracaris.
How Scientists Classify This Toucan
Some bird experts, like the International Ornithological Committee (IOC), consider the citron-throated toucan a unique species. However, other groups, like the American Ornithological Society, think it's a subspecies. They believe it's a type of channel-billed toucan. This means scientists are still discussing its exact place in the bird family tree!
What Does the Citron-throated Toucan Look Like?
This toucan is about 48 centimeters (19 inches) long. It weighs around 360 grams (12.7 ounces), which is about the same as a can of soda. Male and female toucans look very similar.
Its Colorful Beak and Face
The toucan's beak is mostly black. It has a thin greenish-yellow line on top. There's a wide yellow band at the base of the upper part of its beak. The lower part of the beak has a blue-green base. Around its eye, the skin is bare and a pale blue color.
Feathers and Body Colors
Most of the toucan's body is black. Its lower back and the feathers covering its upper tail are pale lemon yellow. The throat and chest are also pale lemon yellow. Right below the chest, there's a thin red band. The feathers under its tail are bright red.
Where Does the Citron-throated Toucan Live?
The citron-throated toucan can be found in northern Colombia. Its range also extends into northwestern Venezuela.
Its Forest Home
This toucan prefers to live in mature, humid forests. These are usually found in lowlands and foothills. In Venezuela, you can find them from sea level up to about 500 meters (1,600 feet) high. In Colombia, they live at higher elevations, up to 900 meters (3,000 feet).
How the Citron-throated Toucan Behaves
This toucan seems to stay in the same area all year long. It does not migrate to different places.
What It Eats
The citron-throated toucan usually looks for food in the middle and upper parts of the forest. It will also pick up fallen fruit from the ground. Its main food is a wide variety of fruits. It also eats insects and other small creatures like spiders. Sometimes, it even eats lizards, small birds, and their eggs.
How It Raises Its Young
The breeding season for this toucan seems to be from January to July. Scientists don't have many specific studies on how this toucan breeds. However, they believe its breeding habits are similar to those of the channel-billed toucan.
Its Unique Calls
The citron-throated toucan is part of a group of toucans known as "croakers." Its song sounds like a series of frog-like croaking noises. People describe its call as "cree-op" notes.
Status of the Citron-throated Toucan
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed the citron-throated toucan as a species of "Least Concern." This means it's not currently in danger of extinction.
Population and Threats
Even though it has a large habitat, the exact number of these toucans is unknown. Experts believe their population might be shrinking. No major immediate threats have been found. In Colombia, it's considered uncommon but lives in some protected areas. In Venezuela, it's rare and found only in certain places. Its forest home around the Maracaibo basin is quickly disappearing there.
 | Isaac Myers |
 | D. Hamilton Jackson |
 | A. Philip Randolph |
