SCIENTIFIC NAME : Ramphastos toco WEIGHT : 20 ounces LENGTH : 25 inches. POPULATION : Decreasing PLACES : Tropical Forests HABITATS : South America's tropical forests. | The toco toucan, the largest and best-known toucan species, is at home in South America's tropical forests. Its oversized, colorful bill has made it one of the world's most popular birds: They're familiar commercial mascots, known for hawking stout, cereal, and other products. They can weigh nearly two pounds and grow to 25 inches long, with their bill accounting for nearly half of their length.
Indigenous peoples regard the bird with a sacred eye; they are traditionally seen as conduits between the worlds of the living and the spirits.Both male and female toucans possess large, colorful bills. Their exact purpose isn't clear, though they're believed to play a role in the courthship ritual and in self-defense. As a weapon, however, the bill is more show than substance. It's a lightweight honeycomb of keratin—the same protein that makes up fingernails and horn—supported by thin rods of bone. While its size may deter predators, it is of little use in fighting them. The toco toucan can also regulate the flow of blood to its bill, allowing the bird to use it as a way to distribute heat away from its body. |
