Black-billed toucan
| Black-billed toucan | ||||||||||
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Black- billed toucan ( Andigena nigrirostris ) |
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| Andigena nigrirostris | ||||||||||
| ( Waterhouse , 1839) |
The black- billed toucan ( Andigena nigrirostris ) is a species of bird in the toucan family. It occurs exclusively in South America. Due to its large beak and body size, the black-billed toucan can be clearly identified as a toucan species. The black- billed toucan is the only species within the genus of the blue toucan in which the beak is not partially colored orange. The species is classified by the IUCN
as 
(= least concern - not endangered). Three subspecies are described.
Appearance
Black-billed toucans reach a body length of 46 to 50 centimeters. The males of the nominate form have a wing length of 16.6 to 18.6 centimeters. The tail measures 17.5 to 20.4 centimeters. The beak length is 9.2 to 11.2 centimeters. There is no noticeable sexual dimorphism , but females have slightly shorter beaks at 7.2 to 9.3 centimeters.
The males of the nominate form have a glossy black skull and neck. The back and the wings are brownish olive, the transition from the neck to the back is in a clear line. The rump is yellow, the upper tail-coverts gray-blue. The tail is gray-blue on the upper side and black to black-brown on the underside, the central feathers have brown tips. The chin, throat, ear covers and sides of the neck are white. At the end of the throat this is washed over with pale blue and white and turns into a pale blue on the stomach. Some individuals are pale yellowish on the flanks. The thighs are dark brown, the coverts under the tail are bright red. The featherless area around the eyes is yellow behind the eye and turns blue towards the beak. The iris is dark brown, the feet gray-blue. Young birds have duller plumage and a shorter tail.
The subspecies Andigena nigrirostris spilorhynchus differs from the nominate form by a red triangular spot on the upper beak. In the subspecies A. n. Occidentalis , the red color of the bill is more extensive. The upper and lower beak are colored red at the base and the red coloring extends to the tip at the upper beak.
voice
One of the characteristic sounds of the black-billed toucan is a beak clatter as an instrumental sound . The calls also include a nasal, two-syllable cro-ák cro-ák cro-ák , which does not vary in pitch. This is called up to 45 times per minute.
Distribution, habitat and way of life
The distribution area extends from northwest Venezuela via Colombia to Ecuador . The habitat are epiphyte-covered mountain rainforests and forest edge areas. The birds often stay near bodies of water. They are usually found at altitudes between 1600 and 3200 meters, above 2500 meters the blue toucan usually occupies its ecological niche. They are usually observed in pairs or in small flocks and are mostly found in treetops. Almost nothing is known about the reproductive biology of this species. In Colombia, black-billed toucans were observed in breeding condition in March and young birds were seen in July.
supporting documents
literature
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John Gould and Henry Constantine Richter : A Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans , 1854
- New edition with a foreword by Jonathan Elphick , Taschen Verlag, Cologne 2011, ISBN 978-3-8365-0524-6
- 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
- ↑ Lantermann, p. 169
- ↑ Short et al., P. 366
- ↑ Short et al., P. 365
- ↑ Lantermann, p. 170
- ↑ Short et al., P. 367
Web link
- Andigena nigrirostris inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013.1. Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2013.