Keel-billed Toucan

Keel-billed Toucan

Ramphastos sulfuratus

Range: Southern Mexico and Central America to Venezuela and Columbia

Keel-billed Toucan in flight -- Finca Ixobel, Guatemala

The Keel-billed Toucan, known also as the Rainbow-billed Toucan and the Sulfur-breasted Toucan, is a flashy member of the toucan family that resides in Latin America, as well functioning as the national bird of Belize. 

Description:

The keel-billed toucan is easily recognizable by its brilliant, multi-colored bill. Though generally thought to be oversize and unwieldy, the keel-billed toucan’s bill is surprisingly light, being hollow and sponge-like, and covered in a substance known as keratin, a very hard and lightweight protein. The bill is generally 5-6 inches, or, about one-third of the length of the entire bird, which generally grows to between 17 and 22 inches in length. And for as large and heavy as they look, the keel-billed toucan usually weighs in at roughly a pound (13-17 oz).

Mostly black, these toucans have a bright yellow neck and breast, with a sash of red around the vent and a touch of white on the rump. To finish off the rainbow of colors, this particular toucan has blue feet. The keel-billed toucan has zygodactyl feet, meaning that the toes of the feet point in different directions. In the case of the keel-billed toucan, there are two toes that face forward, and two that face backward. As these toucans spend a lot of their times in trees, this helps these birds to stay in and hop around the canopy. Contrary to popular belief, this particular toucan is actually a very poor flier because of its heavy wings, preferring instead to hop and glide throughout the Central American canopy.

Ecology and Breeding:

The keel-billed toucan can be found in tropical, sub-troipcal, and lowland rainforests from southern Mexico, throughout Central America down into the top of Columbia and Venezuela.

It prefers to remain in the canopy of the forests, looking for cavities in trees or holes created by woodpeckers to roost in. To conserve space in cramped quarters with other toucans, these birds will tuck both their beak and tail under their body while sleeping. Like most toucans, the keel-billed is a very social bird, and will travel and roost in flocks of six to twelve birds. Within these groups there is a family-like organization, and these birds will often use their beaks to "duel" with each other, as well as toss pieces of fruit to other toucans and to themselves. Eating mostly fruit, the keel-billed toucan has been known to eat insects, small reptiles, eggs, and even hatchlings of other birds. Toucans eat fruit whole, and later regurgitate the seeds and pits, spreading them throughout the forest. 

A female toucan will lay between 1 and 4 eggs in a cavity in a tree, and after 15-20 days of being incubated and protected from other birds, weasels, and snakes by both the male and female, both parents continue to care for the hatchlings. Born feather-less and sight-less, the young toucans stay in the nest between eight and nine weeks before fledging.

I can remember well the first toucan I ever saw, a gorgeous keel-billed toucan. Our study abroad group was traveling through Chiapas, Mexico and had taken a brief stop at Agua Azul, then pressed on to a waterfall known as Miso Ha. During our exploration of the gorgeous rainforest cascade, some of the other birders in the group said they had seen a toucan. I hadn't, and was crestfallen that I had missed such an exciting find. As we were getting ready to re-load ourselves once again on the coach, ready to be whisked off to another adventure, another was spotted in the trees. Even without very good lighting, I started excitedly snapping pictures of the bird pictured below.

Later on the tour, at a country area of Guatemala known as "The Farm," a couple of young ladies on the tour spotted a flock of eight toucans on an early morning birding expedition for the ornithology class. After watching them for a few minutes, the toucans glided out of sight, and as the last toucan melted into the canopy, I was able to grab a shot of one just above the trees in full flight. 

Keel-billed Toucan at Miso Ha