red-breasted toucan

The red-breasted toucan, also known as the green-billed toucan (R. dicolorus), is a species of tropical American forest bird belonging to the family Ramphastidae. These birds are characterized by their large, strikingly colored bills, which can be up to one-third of the bird's total length. The bill, though appearing heavy, is made of lightweight bone covered in keratin.1

Toucanets are smaller relatives of toucans, typically measuring 25–35 cm (10–14 inches) long with relatively short bills.2

While often thought to eat only fruit, toucans consume a varied diet including insects, snakes, frogs, and even small mammals, and they are known predators of songbird nests. They are also important seed dispersers for tropical forests. Toucans are known for their loud vocalizations, which include barks, bugling calls, and croaks. They nest in tree holes, often old woodpecker nests, and both parents incubate the eggs and care for the young.1