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Keel-billed Toucan

Ramphastos sulfuratus

Least Concern
Length
50.0 cm
Wingspan
56.0 cm
Weight
400.0 g
Family
Ramphastidae
Order
Piciformes

Black-bodied with a bright yellow throat and chest and an enormous, lightweight bill up to 15 cm long, the Keel-billed Toucan carries one of the most conspicuous beaks in the bird world, banded in green, orange, blue, and red. The long bill helps it reach fruit on thin branches it could not otherwise access; chiefly a fruit-eater, it also takes insects, lizards, eggs, and nestlings. It occupies tropical and subtropical lowland rainforest and forest edges from sea level to about 1,900 metres, ranging from southern Mexico through Central America to northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela. It nests in tree cavities, with young fledging between 42 and 47 days. Its call is a repeated, frog-like croaking rather than a melodic song. It is listed as Least Concern.

About

The keel-billed toucan is the national bird of Belize and one of the most recognizable birds in the Neotropics. Its oversized bill, which can be a third of its body length, is actually very light due to its hollow honeycomb structure. Toucans roost communally, with up to six adults squeezing into a single tree cavity.

Physical Description

Measurement Value Imperial
Body Length 50.0 cm 19.7 in
Wingspan 56.0 cm 22.0 in
Weight 400.0 g 14.11 oz

Identification

Plumage

Black body with a bright yellow throat and chest. Red undertail coverts. The enormous bill is green with orange sides, a blue patch, and a red tip.

Bill

Enormous, lightweight, multicolored bill up to 15 cm long — green, orange, blue, and red

Habitat & Range

Tropical and subtropical lowland rainforests and forest edges from sea level to about 1,900 meters.

Geographic Range

Southern Mexico through Central America to northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela.

Diet & Feeding

Primarily fruit, supplemented with insects, lizards, eggs, and nestlings. Uses its long bill to reach fruit on thin branches.

Conservation Status

Least Concern
IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: CV. Fledging: 42-47 days.

Clutch Size

1-4

Sound

Song

Produces a repeated frog-like croaking 'prrrek-prrrek' or 'terrio-terrio'. Not melodic; the call resembles a mechanical rattle or frog. Also gives bill-clattering.

Taxonomy

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Order Piciformes (Woodpeckers & Toucans)
Family Ramphastidae (Toucans)
Genus Ramphastos
Species Ramphastos sulfuratus

Names in Other Languages

Language Name
German Regenbogentukan
Spanish Tucán Arcoíris

Distribution

Keel-billed Toucan has been recorded in 3 countries.

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Present Not recorded
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countries highlighted

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Keel-billed Toucan eat?
Primarily fruit, supplemented with insects, lizards, eggs, and nestlings. Uses its long bill to reach fruit on thin branches.
Where does the Keel-billed Toucan live?
Tropical and subtropical lowland rainforests and forest edges from sea level to about 1,900 meters.
Is the Keel-billed Toucan endangered?
The Keel-billed Toucan has a conservation status of Least Concern.
How does the Keel-billed Toucan nest?
Nest type: CV. Fledging: 42-47 days.
What does the Keel-billed Toucan sound like?
Produces a repeated frog-like croaking 'prrrek-prrrek' or 'terrio-terrio'. Not melodic; the call resembles a mechanical rattle or frog. Also gives bill-clattering.
How big is the Keel-billed Toucan?
The Keel-billed Toucan has a body length of 50.0 cm, wingspan of 56.0 cm, weight of 400.0 g.
What order and family does the Keel-billed Toucan belong to?
The Keel-billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) belongs to the order Piciformes and the family Ramphastidae.

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