Choco toucan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Choco toucan |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ramphastos
|
| Species: |
brevis
|
 |
|
| Estimated Choco toucan range in blue | |
| Synonyms | |
|
|
The Choco toucan (Ramphastos brevis) is a colorful bird from the toucan family. It lives in the warm, wet forests of Colombia and Ecuador. This amazing bird is known for its bright yellow throat and big, colorful beak!
Contents
What kind of toucan is it?
The Choco toucan is a special type of toucan. For a long time, people thought it was just a kind of yellow-throated toucan. But scientists noticed its calls were different. They also saw other unique features. Because of this, they decided it was its own species. The Choco toucan is also closely related to the channel-billed toucan.
What does the Choco toucan look like?
The Choco toucan is about 18 to 19 inches (46 to 48.5 cm) long. It weighs between 13 and 17 ounces (365 to 482 grams). Male and female toucans look very similar. However, the female's beak is a bit shorter.
Their large beak is mostly yellow on top. It has some green near the top edge and a black triangle at the base. The bottom part of the beak is black, sometimes with a yellow tip.
The top of their head and neck are black with a hint of maroon. Their back and tail are black. But the feathers covering the top of their tail are white. Around their eyes, the skin is bare and looks yellow-green or olive green.
Their throat and chest are bright yellow. Below the yellow chest, there is a narrow red band. Their belly is black, and the feathers under their tail are red. The Choco toucan looks very much like a certain type of channel-billed toucan. But you can tell them apart by their unique calls.
Where do Choco toucans live?
As its name suggests, the Choco toucan lives in the humid Chocó region. This area stretches from northwestern Colombia to southwestern Ecuador.
They mostly live in lowland and foothill forests. But you might also spot them in open fields or farms with fruit trees. These areas are usually next to forests. They can be found at elevations up to about 5,085 feet (1,550 meters).
How do Choco toucans behave?
How do they move?
Choco toucans do not migrate, meaning they don't travel long distances for seasons. Instead, pairs or groups move up and down hills. They do this while looking for food.
What do they eat?
Choco toucans usually look for food high up in the forest trees. Their diet is mostly fruits. They probably also eat insects and small animals. Sometimes, they follow groups of army ants. This is likely to catch small creatures that the ants disturb.
How do they breed?
The breeding season for Choco toucans seems to be mostly from June to August. However, it might start earlier in Colombia. When they are ready to mate, pairs will swing their heads back and forth. They also make special calls to each other. Not much else is known about how they raise their young.
What sounds do they make?
The Choco toucan is known as one of the "croaker" toucans. Its call sounds like a steady, repeated "kreeork" noise. Sometimes, they speed up this call into a "kriik." They also make sounds by clacking their beaks together. They can even make grating noises with their beaks closed.
What is the Choco toucan's status?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed the Choco toucan as a species of Least Concern. This means it is not currently in danger of extinction. It lives across a large area. However, we don't know exactly how many Choco toucans there are. Scientists believe their numbers might be going down.
No immediate big threats have been found. They are considered uncommon in some places and common in others in Ecuador. They live in at least one protected area in both Ecuador and Colombia. People sometimes hunt them for food or for traditional medicine. More studies are needed to understand what they need to survive. This will help decide if their conservation status needs to change.
See also
In Spanish: Tucán del Chocó para niños
