Swainson's Toucan

scientific name

Ramphastos swainsonii

size

Weight: male 19 oz, female 17 oz
Length: 16 in " mandible 7.7 in

characteristics

Color: body black; face, throat & foreneck yellow; rump white; undertail red " upper mandible yellow tinged green on ridge, dark red at base " lower mandible tipped black blending into dark reddish brown " brown eye surrounded by green skin

Behavior: males feed fruit to females " throw head back to swallow fruit " mated pairs preen each other " male defend portions of fruiting trees from other birds except for mate using treat or bill clashing with other toucans " when fruit abundant may travel in groups of 3-8 " bathes in rain-filled tree cavities " throws head back in first syllable to give call and then downward in a series of jerks on each syllable " voice far carrying, given as Dios te dé or yó yip _ yip"also gives a load resonant, hard rattle as an angry voice

reproduction/life span

Nesting: nest in natural tree cavities "2-3 nestlings

diet

Wild: fruit, eggs, nestlings of other birds, insects, lizards

habitat/range

Habitat: : usually stays in canopy "may descend to forest floor to pursue small animals " sea level to 5000 ft
Range: Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Colombia, Ecuador

other

also called Chesnut-mandibilled Toucan, Dios Tede (from call it gives, Dios te dé May God give it to you)

note

largest toucan in Central America

oregon zoo exhibit

Amazon

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