Toucans, belonging to the family Ramphastidae, are tropical American forest birds recognized for their large, colorful bills. The term toucan refers to around 15 species, including the similar, smaller aracaris and toucanets, bringing the total to about 35 species. Toucans' bills can be one-third of their total length and are often brightly colored, which may help with species recognition. Though the bill appears heavy, it is composed of lightweight bone covered in keratin. While often considered fruit eaters, toucans eat various foods, including insects, snakes, and eggs. They nest in tree holes and are nonmigratory.

Where do toucans live?

Toucans live in tropical American forests and are known for their large, colorful bills. The term toucan refers to about 15 species, but with similar birds like the aracaris and toucanets, the total comes to about 35 species. Toucanets are smaller toucans that are approximately 25–35 cm (10–14 inches) long. Toucans are nonmigratory birds, except for mountain toucans, which move up and down the Andes Mountains in search of fruit.

What does a toucan look like?

Toucans, from the family Ramphastidae, are tropical American forest birds known for their large, colorful bills. About 35 species exist, including the similar, smaller aracaris and toucanets. The largest toucans can reach 60 cm (24 inches) long. The keel-billed toucan, common in zoos, grows to about 50 cm (20 inches) long and is mainly black with a lemon-yellow face, throat, and chest, a red tail, and a multicolored bill. A toucan's bill can be one-third of its total length. Though large, the bill is light, made of bone covered in keratin. Bill colors help with species recognition, as toucans often have similar body patterns: mainly black with a bold breast color.

What do toucans eat in the wild?

Toucans are tropical American forest birds known for their large, colorful bills. While often considered fruit eaters, they have a varied diet. Most toucans consume insects, snakes, frogs, and occasionally small mammals. They also eat the eggs and nestlings of songbirds. When foraging, toucans often form associations of two or more species to search for fruiting trees. They are nonmigratory birds, except for mountain toucans, which move up and down the Andes in search of fruit. Toucans contribute to tropical forest diversity by dispersing the seeds of the plants they eat.

How does a toucan use its big beak?

Toucans are Neotropical birds known for their large, colorful bills. Their beaks, though large (up to one-third of the bird’s total length), are lightweight, made of bone covered in keratin. Toucans use their beaks to obtain and break apart food, and they toss their heads back to swallow. Though often considered fruit eaters, they eat insects, snakes, frogs, and sometimes small mammals, and they also consume eggs and nestlings. The bright colors likely help with species recognition, and the beak may also frighten other birds.

How do toucans care for their young in their natural habitat?

Toucans nest in tree holes or old woodpecker nests, rather than building their own. The female toucan lays one to four glossy white eggs in the unlined cavity, and both parents incubate them in shifts. The naked hatchlings have large pads on their heels and need about three weeks before their eyes open. While in the nest, the hatchlings grow their large bills nearly to completion. After approximately 45 days, the nestlings leave the nest and begin their independent lives. Family groups of toucans may stay together for extended periods, as small flocks are frequently observed throughout the year.

Toucan

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Images & Videos

An illustration of an emerald toucanet (Aulacorhynchus prasinus) perched on a mossy branch, showing its bright green body, yellow and black beak, and a tail with red and black markings.

Close-up of a toucan with a large yellow and black bill holding a piece of fruit or nut in its beak, Amazon, Brazil.

Gray-breasted mountain toucan (Andigena hypoglauca).

A toucan (Ramphastos toco) with a large, colorful beak and bright yellow throat perches among green leaves in a Colombian rainforest.

Keel-billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus); the bill is probably used for species recognition.

Glimpse the Amazon Rainforest's diverse wildlife, from anacondas and sloths to macaws and capybaras

At a Glance

toucan summary

Quick Facts

Related Topics:: toucanet; aracari; Ramphastos; yellow-ridged toucan; Andigena

On the Web:: World Animal Rescue Network - Toucan (Oct. 25, 2026)

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Toucan

bird family

Also known as: Ramphastidae, tucano

Written and fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 13, 2026 •History

Top Questions

What is a toucan?
Toucans, belonging to the family Ramphastidae, are tropical American forest birds recognized for their large, colorful bills. The term toucan refers to around 15 species, including the similar, smaller aracaris and toucanets, bringing the total to about 35 species.

Toucans' bills can be one-third of their total length and are often brightly colored, which may help with species recognition. Though the bill appears heavy, it is composed of lightweight bone covered in keratin. While often considered fruit eaters, toucans eat various foods, including insects, snakes, and eggs. They nest in tree holes and are nonmigratory.
2 Britannica Sources
1. toucanet
2. toucan
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Where do toucans live?
Toucans live in tropical American forests and are known for their large, colorful bills. The term toucan refers to about 15 species, but with similar birds like the aracaris and toucanets, the total comes to about 35 species. Toucanets are smaller toucans that are approximately 25–35 cm (10–14 inches) long. Toucans are nonmigratory birds, except for mountain toucans, which move up and down the Andes Mountains in search of fruit.
2 Britannica Sources
1. toucanet
2. toucan
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What does a toucan look like?
Toucans, from the family Ramphastidae, are tropical American forest birds known for their large, colorful bills. About 35 species exist, including the similar, smaller aracaris and toucanets.

The largest toucans can reach 60 cm (24 inches) long. The keel-billed toucan, common in zoos, grows to about 50 cm (20 inches) long and is mainly black with a lemon-yellow face, throat, and chest, a red tail, and a multicolored bill.

A toucan's bill can be one-third of its total length. Though large, the bill is light, made of bone covered in keratin. Bill colors help with species recognition, as toucans often have similar body patterns: mainly black with a bold breast color.
2 Britannica Sources
1. toucanet
2. toucan
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What do toucans eat in the wild?
Toucans are tropical American forest birds known for their large, colorful bills. While often considered fruit eaters, they have a varied diet. Most toucans consume insects, snakes, frogs, and occasionally small mammals. They also eat the eggs and nestlings of songbirds.

When foraging, toucans often form associations of two or more species to search for fruiting trees. They are nonmigratory birds, except for mountain toucans, which move up and down the Andes in search of fruit. Toucans contribute to tropical forest diversity by dispersing the seeds of the plants they eat.
1 Britannica Source
1. toucan
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How does a toucan use its big beak?
Toucans are Neotropical birds known for their large, colorful bills. Their beaks, though large (up to one-third of the bird’s total length), are lightweight, made of bone covered in keratin.

Toucans use their beaks to obtain and break apart food, and they toss their heads back to swallow. Though often considered fruit eaters, they eat insects, snakes, frogs, and sometimes small mammals, and they also consume eggs and nestlings. The bright colors likely help with species recognition, and the beak may also frighten other birds.
2 Britannica Sources
1. 11 Questions About Birds Answered: Why is a bird’s beak important?
2. toucan
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How do toucans care for their young in their natural habitat?
Toucans nest in tree holes or old woodpecker nests, rather than building their own. The female toucan lays one to four glossy white eggs in the unlined cavity, and both parents incubate them in shifts.

The naked hatchlings have large pads on their heels and need about three weeks before their eyes open. While in the nest, the hatchlings grow their large bills nearly to completion. After approximately 45 days, the nestlings leave the nest and begin their independent lives. Family groups of toucans may stay together for extended periods, as small flocks are frequently observed throughout the year.
4 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Toucan, (family Ramphastidae), the common name given to numerous species of tropical American forest birds known for their large and strikingly coloured bills. The term toucan—derived from tucano, a native Brazilian term for the bird—is used in the common name of about 15 species (Ramphastos and Andigena), and the aracaris and toucanets are very similar smaller birds of the same family that are also considered toucans, bringing the total number of species to about 35.

The largest toucans, up to 60 cm (24 inches) long, are Ramphastos species. An example common in zoos is the red-breasted (also called green-billed) toucan (R. dicolorus) of Amazonia. Another common zoo resident is the keel-billed toucan (R. sulfuratus), which is about 50 cm (20 inches) long. It is mainly black with lemon yellow on the face, throat, and chest, bright red under the tail, and multicoloured markings on the bill.

Toucan bills can be one-third of the bird’s total length. Though the bill appears unwieldy, even heavy, it is composed of extremely lightweight bone covered with keratin—the same material as human fingernails. The common names of several species, such as the chestnut-mandibled toucan, the fiery-billed aracari, and the yellow-ridged toucan, describe their beaks, which are often brightly coloured in pastel shades of green, red, white, and yellow. This coloration is probably used by the birds for species recognition, as many toucans have similar body patterns and coloration—mainly black with a bold breast colour. The bill is also believed to have a frightening effect on other birds, including hawks. The wings of toucans are short and rounded, and the tail is usually long; these traits, along with the large bill, make toucans ungainly fliers.

pigeon. pigeon and dove. member of the order Columbiformes, family Columbidae

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In feeding, the toucan obtains food with the saw-edged bill and must toss back its head before swallowing. Although toucans are often considered to be primarily fruit eaters, most species consume a wide variety of food, including insects, snakes, frogs, and occasionally even small mammals. Toucans are also predators on the contents of songbird nests, consuming both eggs and nestlings. In foraging, toucans form large associations of two or more species that search for fruiting trees.

Toucans are among the noisiest of forest birds; their repertoire includes loud barks, bugling calls, and harsh croaks. Larger species perch high in the canopy and utter loud calls that are accompanied by ritualized movements of the head and bill. The vocalizations act as rallying calls that attract groups of birds to good foraging sites. These sounds also seem to function in species recognition, as similar species of toucans that live in the same habitat have unmistakably different calls.

Toucans tend to roost somewhat gregariously in treetop bands. They nest high in tree holes but do not excavate their own cavities. Instead, they find old woodpecker nests or natural holes formed by loss of tree branches. Two to four glossy white eggs are deposited in an unlined cavity, where they are incubated in shifts by both parents. Incubation lasts from 16 days to six weeks or more in some species. The naked hatchlings have large pads on their heels and require at least three weeks before their eyes open. They lack the large bill but grow it nearly to completion during their time in the nest. After about 45 days the nestlings begin life on their own. Family groups may remain together for a long time, as small flocks are often seen throughout the year.

Toucans are nonmigratory, but the mountain toucans (Andigena) move seasonally up and down the Andes Mountains in search of fruit. Like manakins of the forest understory, toucans contribute to the maintenance of tropical forest diversity because they consume and disperse seeds of many plant species.

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About 35 species of toucans belonging to six genera constitute the family Ramphastidae, but recent DNA evidence suggests that the New World barbets should also be included in this family. Toucans and barbets are related to woodpeckers; all are piciforms, whose members possess two rearward- and two forward-pointing toes. Although toucans superficially resemble hornbills of the Old World, the two groups are unrelated and belong to different orders.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Alison Eldridge.

Toucan

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