Black-headed toucan
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Black-headed toucan ( Andigena cucullata ) |
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| Andigena cucullata | ||||||||||
| ( Gould , 1846) |
The black-headed toucan ( Andigena cucullata ) is a species of bird from the toucan family that occurs in South American mountain forests. No subspecies are distinguished. The IUCN classifies the black-headed toucan as 
(= least concern - not endangered).
Appearance
The body length of adult black-headed toucans is 45 to 48 centimeters. The males of the black-headed toucan reach a wing length of 16 to 18.5 centimeters. The tail is 15 to 18.2 inches long, the beak length is 7.3 to 9.1 inches. There is no noticeable sexual dimorphism , females tend to be slightly smaller than males and have a slightly shorter beak. They have a beak length of 6.9 to 8.1 centimeters.
Adult black-headed toucans have a black feathered head, the throat and chin are sooty black. A blue-gray band runs down the nape of the neck and ends narrowly on the sides of the neck. The back and the wings are olive brown with a yellowish tinge in places. The trunk and the stepped tail are dark yellow-green. The chest is sooty blue and brightens to a pale gray-blue towards the abdomen and flanks. The thighs are dark chestnut brown, the under tail coverts are red in most individuals. A few individuals have yellow under tail coverts. The beak is curved along the back of the beak. The lower and upper bills are sooty black at the end, otherwise yellow-green. The lower beak has a large black spot near the base of the beak. The featherless skin of the face is pale blue to green-blue, the eyes are deep brown. The feet and legs are gray-green to green. Young birds have duller plumage, the blue-gray neck band is either absent or significantly smaller.
Possible confusion
In the black-headed toucan distribution area, other toucan species are rarely observed. The few toucans that are at similar altitudes are mostly green macaws , whose plumage differs significantly from the black-headed toucan. The most common type of green macaw in the range of the black-headed toucan is the gray-billed macaw . In southern Peru, the distribution area of the black-headed toucan can border on that of the blue-toed toucan . The black-headed toucan can be distinguished from this species by its black head. The blue toucan also has a partially red bill.
Distribution area and way of life
The black-headed toucan belongs to the toucan species with a very small distribution area. It occurs only in the Peruvian region of Puno and in the neighboring Bolivian departments of La Paz and Cochabamba . In Bolivia it is mainly observed at altitudes between 2,400 and 3,300 meters.
Black-headed toucans are predominantly observed individually, in pairs or in small family groups with up to four individuals. They feed mainly on fruits. Otherwise nothing is known about their way of life.
supporting documents
literature
- Werner Lantermann: Toucans and Arassaris. Filander Verlag, Fürth 2002, ISBN 3-930831-46-5
- Lester L. Short and Jennifer FM Horne: Toucans, Barbets and Honeyguides - Ramphastidae, Capitonidae and Indicatoridae . Oxford University Press, Oxford 2001, ISBN 0-19-854666-1
Single receipts
Web links
- Andigena cucullata inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2013.