American Robin vs Keel-billed Toucan
Turdus migratorius compared with Ramphastos sulfuratus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | American Robin | Keel-billed Toucan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Turdus migratorius | Ramphastos sulfuratus |
| Order | Passeriformes | Piciformes |
| Family | Turdidae | Ramphastidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 25.0 cm (9.8 in) | 50.0 cm (19.7 in) |
| Wingspan | 36.0 cm (14.2 in) | 56.0 cm (22.0 in) |
| Weight | 77.0 g (2.72 oz) | 400.0 g (14.11 oz) |
| Diet | Earthworms, insects, and fruit. Famously hunts earthworms on lawns by running, stopping, and tilting its … | Primarily fruit, supplemented with insects, lizards, eggs, and nestlings. Uses its long bill to reach … |
| Clutch Size | 2-4 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
American Robin only
Keel-billed Toucan only
American Robin
Lawns, parks, gardens, farmland, and forest edges. One of the most familiar birds in suburban North America.
Keel-billed Toucan
Tropical and subtropical lowland rainforests and forest edges from sea level to about 1,900 meters.
Song & Call Comparison
American Robin
A clear, caroling song of 2-3 note phrases: 'cheerily, cheer-up, cheerio'. Sings from dawn perches. Sharp 'tut-tut-tut' alarm call and thin 'seeee' flight note.
Keel-billed Toucan
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.
Geographic Range & Migration
American Robin
North America from Alaska and Canada to Mexico. Northern populations migrate south in winter; southern populations are largely resident.
Keel-billed Toucan
Southern Mexico through Central America to northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela.
Conservation Status
American Robin
Keel-billed Toucan
How to Tell Them Apart
American Robin
Dark grey-brown upperparts with a warm brick-red breast and belly. White eye-ring and streaked white throat. Female slightly paler.
Bright yellow bill with a dark tip
Keel-billed Toucan
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.
Enormous, lightweight, multicolored bill up to 15 cm long — green, orange, blue, and red
About These Birds
American Robin
The American robin is widely regarded as a harbinger of spring across North America. Despite its name, it is a true thrush unrelated to the European robin. American robins produce two to three broods per year and are among the earliest birds to sing in the morning chorus.
Keel-billed Toucan
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.