White-breasted toucan

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White-breasted toucan
White-breasted Toucan 8454.jpg

White-breasted toucan ( Ramphastos tucanus )

Systematics
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Woodpecker birds (Piciformes)
Family : Toucans (Ramphastidae)
Genre : Ramphastus
Type : White-breasted toucan
Scientific name
Ramphastos tucanus
Linnaeus , 1758
Close up of the head

The white-breasted toucan ( Ramphastos tucanus ) is a species of bird in the toucan family. Several subspecies are distinguished. The Cuvier toucan , which used to be a separate species, has been classified as a subspecies of the white-breasted toucan for several years. The IUCN classifies the white-breasted toucan as LC IUCN 3 1st svg(= least concern - not endangered), but exact numbers are not known.

Appearance

measurements and weight

The white-breasted toucan has a body length of 56 to 61 centimeters. The wing length is 20 to 23 centimeters. The beak in the males of the nominate form is between 16 and 19.1 centimeters long. Females have slightly smaller beaks with a length of 12.4 to 15.7 centimeters. Males weigh an average of 625 grams, females 560 grams. The subspecies R. t. cuvieri is a little bigger. In her, the males have beaks up to 22 centimeters long, the average beak length is 18.7 centimeters. The subspecies R. t. inca is between the nominate form and R. t. cuvieri . The average beaute length of the males of this subspecies is 18.5 centimeters with a range between 16.7 and 20.6 centimeters.

Plumage and beak

The body plumage of adult white-breasted toucans is black from the forehead to the tail feathers. The underside of the body is also black from the chest to the stomach. The upper tail-coverts are pale whitish yellow to lemon yellow. The under tail-coverts are red. The chin, throat and ear covers are white to cream in color. The freshly moulted plumage often has a yellowish tinge. A short and narrow red band runs between the throat and chest.

The beak is very long and the upper beak is curved. The base of the beak is black, the lower beak initially light blue. The upper bill is initially greenish-yellow, this also applies to the back of the upper bill. A black band runs over the upper and lower beak, in front of which the beak is purple-brown to red-brown. In some subspecies, the beak brightens up almost to orange-red in the front area. The featherless skin around the eyes is blue to green-blue and becomes almost purple-blue around the eyes. The eyes are brown. The legs and feet are individually colored differently in blue.

Young birds have a duller plumage, which is similar in color to adult birds. However, the black part of the plumage is more soot-black to brownish. They are generally a little more yellow on the throat. Their under tail-coverts are more pink or slightly orange. The beak is short. The featherless skin of the face is gray-blue, the eyes are blue.

Possible confusion

The white-breasted toucan is a showy, large toucan. Only the golden-throated toucan and the giant toucan in the east and south of the distribution area have a body size comparable to the white-breasted toucan. However, both species have a beak color that differs significantly from that of the white-breasted toucan. The possibility of confusion with the yolk toucan is greater , although it is significantly smaller. The range of the white-breasted toucan overlaps with the range of this species in the west.

Distribution area

back

The white-breasted toucan is found in tropical forests in South America. The distribution area extends from the east and southeast of Colombia to the eastern edge of the Andes. It extends over the east of Ecuador , the east of Peru , the north and east of Bolivia , the west of Venezuela to Brazil north of the Amazon. The white-breasted toucan occurs south of the Amazon as far as Rondonia and in the southwest of the Mato Grosso .

In Ecuador, the white-breasted toucan is found at altitudes of 1200 meters. In Bolivia it was observed at an altitude of 1350 meters and in Guyana at 1437 meters.

habitat

Basically, the white-breasted toucan is an inhabitant of the treetops, which is found mainly in low-lying forests. Occasionally, however, its habitat extends into the upper area of ​​tropical mountain forests. It prefers forests with a treetop height of around fifty meters, but also uses forests along rivers that remain a little lower. It can also be observed in forest islands in the midst of newly deforested areas, on clear-cuts, plantations and on wooded lake shores. Occasionally it is also observed in mangrove forests and even urban parks.

Food and subsistence

Image from 1780

White-breasted toucans usually live in pairs or in small flocks of up to six birds. Occasionally, however, flocks that comprise up to individuals are also observed. They usually eat fruits from different trees. The food spectrum includes fruits from nutmeg , palm and laurel plants as well as fruits from cultivated jambul trees . A general preference for animal food has been established in captive birds, and white-breasted toucans eat cicadas, beetles, caterpillars, swarming termites and lizards in the wild. The white-breasted toucan is also an outspoken nest predator. Similar to giant toucans, white-breasted toucans steal the eggs and nestlings of yellow-fronted birds . Usually they are concentrated in smaller colonies where only a few birds of this species defend the nests. They also rob the nests of the sulfur tyrant , the red-headed masked tyrant, and the strong-billed masked tyrant . Solitary brooding browbirds such as the broad-hooded browbird are large enough to successfully defend their nests, but the white-breasted toucan drives these birds out of fruit-bearing trees. White-breasted toucans are very fast hunters and react attentively to flying or falling objects. A captive white-breasted toucan has been observed to catch and kill a goldfinch in flight. While foraging for food, the white-breasted toucan hops from branch to branch, plucks the fruit from the branches and, usually by throwing its head back, tosses it into its beak. He holds large fruits with one foot and tears pieces out. In Guyana it is the dominant fruit eater, chasing away all other bird species with the exception of the yolk toucan. Successfully chased away birds include parrots, trogons , woodpeckers, thrushes, tanagers, and finches.

After eating, the white-breasted toucan rubs its beak on branches or uses its feet to clean the beak of food particles.

Reproduction

Partner birds occasionally touch each other at the tips of their bills and then switch to mutual plumage care. In particular, the feathered facial skin is nibbled and cleaned. Mutual feeding is also a regular occurrence. As a rule, the male gives the female food, and very often it gives it back. The nest is usually in a natural hollow in a tree. Couples who brooded successfully in the previous year often use the same brood cavity again.

The clutch consists of two to three white-shelled eggs. The breeding season varies depending on the geographical latitude. In Bolivia, the breeding season falls from February to October. In Peru, however, it falls between May and August. The brood begins as soon as the first egg is laid. Both parent birds are involved. The adult birds are very shy during the nesting season and only approach the breeding cave carefully and taking advantage of the cover. The breeding season lasts 15.3 days on average. Freshly hatched white-breasted toucans are initially naked and pink and have their eyes closed. The shells of the eggs are removed from the nest cavity by the parent birds. During the first two weeks of life, the nestlings are fledged by the parent birds , whereby the female is in the brood cavity for a longer time than the male. Both parent birds feed the young birds. They bring both fruit and animal food. From the 29th day of life, the nestlings open their eyes, on the 34th day of life they are covered with feathers and from the 39th day of life they come to the entrance of the brood cavity when the parent birds bring food. They leave the brood cavity between 48 and 49 days old and do not return there after they have escaped.

Predation

The white-breasted toucan is hunted as a food resource by indigenous peoples of South America . They drive it until it hits the ground exhausted. The white-shouldered capuchin eats eggs and young of the white-breasted toucan.

attitude

The white-breasted toucan was shown at London Zoo as early as 1871. It is still often kept in zoological gardens and bird parks to this day - although not quite as often as the even larger giant toucan . In the United States of America, the species is even bred for the pet trade. The world's first breeding was achieved in 1984 by a private Californian owner.

supporting documents

literature

Web links

Commons : White-breasted Toucan  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files

Single receipts

  1. ↑ BirdLife factsheet on the genus Ramphastos , accessed December 28, 2010
  2. ↑ BirdLife International: Species Factsheet - White-throated Toucan ( Ramphastos tucanus ) . Retrieved December 23, 2010.
  3. ↑ Lantermann, p. 191
  4. ↑ Short et al., P. 423
  5. ↑ Short et al., P. 423
  6. ↑ Short et al., P. 422
  7. ↑ Short et al., P. 423
  8. ↑ Short et al., P. 425
  9. ↑ Short et al., P. 426
  10. ↑ Short et al., P. 426
  11. ↑ Short et al., P. 426
  12. ↑ Short et al., P. 427
  13. ↑ Short et al., P. 427
  14. ↑ Short et al., P. 428
  15. ↑ Short et al., P. 426
  16. ^ Lantermann,>. 194
  17. ↑ Lantermann, p. 195