Yellow-eared toucanet facts for kids
The yellow-eared toucanet (Selenidera spectabilis) is a colorful bird from the toucan family. It lives in forests from Honduras all the way down to Ecuador.
Quick facts for kids Yellow-eared toucanet |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Piciformes |
| Family: | Ramphastidae |
| Genus: | Selenidera |
| Species: |
S. spectabilis
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| Binomial name | |
| Selenidera spectabilis Cassin, 1858
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Contents
About the Yellow-eared Toucanet Family
Scientists group animals into families. The yellow-eared toucanet belongs to the Selenidera group. Some scientists think it might be related to mountain toucans. This bird is also 'monotypic,' meaning it's the only type of its kind in its specific group.
What Does the Yellow-eared Toucanet Look Like?
This toucanet is about 36 to 38 centimeters (14 to 15 inches) long. It weighs between 175 and 245 grams (6 to 8.6 ounces). It's the biggest and most unique-looking toucanet in its group.
Bill and Face Features
Both male and female toucanets have the same bill pattern. However, the female's bill is shorter. The bill has a black line at its base. The top part of the bill is yellow. It has an olive-brown triangle below the yellow. The tip of the bill is horn-colored. The bottom part of the bill is dark olive or brownish-black.
Male and Female Differences
Adult males have a black cap on their head. This black color goes down their neck. They have blue or green skin around their eyes. A large yellow tuft of feathers sticks out behind each eye. Their back and upper tail feathers are green. Their tail is blackish. Their chin to their belly is black. They have a yellow patch on their side. Their thighs are chestnut-colored. The feathers under their tail are red.
Adult females have a chestnut-colored forehead and neck. They do not have the yellow ear tufts like the males.
Young Toucanets
Young toucanets are not as brightly colored as adults. The patterns on their bills are also less clear. Young males have a sooty black color. Young females have a brownish chestnut color.
Where Do Yellow-eared Toucanets Live?
The yellow-eared toucanet lives in several countries. You can find them from northeastern Honduras. They also live south through Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. They are found in western Colombia and even in a small part of northwestern Ecuador.
Their Forest Home
These birds like wet, forested slopes and ridges. They also live in nearby younger forests. Sometimes they visit fruit trees near the edge of the forest. They usually live at elevations between 300 and 1100 meters (about 980 to 3,600 feet). They can sometimes be found as low as sea level. They can also live as high as 1500 meters (about 4,900 feet). In Honduras, they are not usually found above 500 meters (about 1,600 feet).
How Yellow-eared Toucanets Behave
Seasonal Movements
Yellow-eared toucanets sometimes move. After breeding, they might go from higher places to lower places. This happens in Costa Rica and Panama. Scientists are not sure if all toucanets do this. They also don't know if only younger birds move.
What Do Yellow-eared Toucanets Eat?
These toucanets usually look for food in pairs or small groups. They often search in the middle or top parts of the forest. They also eat from fruit bushes close to the ground. Their main food is fruit. They also eat insects and lizards.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The breeding season for these toucanets is usually from April to August. In Honduras, it might start a bit earlier. In Colombia, it can start as early as February. When they are courting, adults sing. They also toss their heads and flip their tails. It is believed that they lay two to four eggs. Not much else is known about how they raise their young.
How Yellow-eared Toucanets Communicate
The yellow-eared toucanet's song is a series of double notes. It sounds like "tik-ett." They sometimes snap their bills while singing. Pairs might sing together at the same time. They also make long and short rattling sounds. These sounds can be made with their voice or their tongue inside their bill.
Conservation Status of the Yellow-eared Toucanet
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has looked at this bird. They say it is of "Least Concern." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing. It lives in a very large area. There are at least 50,000 adult birds. However, this number is thought to be going down. No immediate threats have been found.
In the northern part of its range, it is "uncommon to fairly common." In Colombia, it is rare to uncommon. In Ecuador, it is very rare.
 | Mary Eliza Mahoney |
 | Susie King Taylor |
 | Ida Gray |
 | Eliza Ann Grier |
