Emperor Penguin vs Keel-billed Toucan
Aptenodytes forsteri compared with Ramphastos sulfuratus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Emperor Penguin | Keel-billed Toucan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aptenodytes forsteri | Ramphastos sulfuratus |
| Order | Sphenisciformes | Piciformes |
| Family | Spheniscidae | Ramphastidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Length | 115.0 cm (45.3 in) | 50.0 cm (19.7 in) |
| Wingspan | 76.0 cm (29.9 in) | 56.0 cm (22.0 in) |
| Weight | 30000.0 g (1058.22 oz) | 400.0 g (14.11 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily Antarctic silverfish, krill, and squid. The deepest-diving bird, reaching depths over 500 meters and … | Primarily fruit, supplemented with insects, lizards, eggs, and nestlings. Uses its long bill to reach … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Emperor Penguin
Antarctic pack ice and surrounding Southern Ocean. The only penguin species that breeds during the Antarctic winter.
Keel-billed Toucan
Tropical and subtropical lowland rainforests and forest edges from sea level to about 1,900 meters.
Song & Call Comparison
Emperor Penguin
Loud, resonant trumpeting calls used for individual recognition in dense colonies. Each bird's call is unique in frequency. Also gives softer contact 'braying' notes.
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
Emperor Penguin
Antarctic continent and surrounding sea ice. Breeding colonies are found along the entire Antarctic coastline.
Keel-billed Toucan
Southern Mexico through Central America to northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela.
Conservation Status
Emperor Penguin
Keel-billed Toucan
How to Tell Them Apart
Emperor Penguin
Black head, chin, and dorsal side with white belly. Bright yellow-orange ear patches fade to pale yellow on the upper breast.
Long, slightly decurved bill — black with orange or pink mandible stripe
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
Emperor Penguin
The emperor penguin is the tallest and heaviest of all penguin species. They breed in the harshest conditions on Earth, enduring Antarctic winter temperatures of -60 C and wind speeds of 200 km/h. Males incubate the single egg on their feet under a brood pouch for about 65 days while fasting.
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.