Toucans, Toucantes, and Aracaris are birds of Ramphastidae family. They reside in the neotropics (i.e. Southern Mexico, Central, South American, and Caribbean region). The family is most closely related to the American barbets. They are brightly marked and have large, colorful bills which is the hallmark of toucans. Despite its size, the bill it is very light, being composed of bone struts filled with spongy tissue between them. The large bill of the toucan is a highly efficient thermoregulation system. Also, it allows the bird to reach deep into treeholes to access food (they eat mostly fruit) unavailable to other birds. The bills of female toucans are usually smaller.

Toucans range in size 29-63 cm. The wings are small, as they are forest-dwelling birds that only need to travel short distances. The legs of a toucan are strong and rather short. The majority of toucans do not show any sexual dimorphism in their coloration. The rear three vertebrae are fused and attached to the spine by a ball and socket joint. Because of this, toucans may snap their tail forwards until it touches the head. This is the posture in which they sleep. They make their nests in tree hollows and holes excavated by other animals. [abstracted from Wikipedia]


Genus Aulacorhynchus

Toucanet, Crimson-rumped  Aulacorhynchus haematopygus  Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Tobias - Walsrode Bird Park, Germany 


Toucanet, Emerald  Aulacorhynchus prasinus  Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Brian Gratwicke 



Genus Pteroglossus

Aracari, Black-necked Pteroglossus aracari  Found: South America 
Photographed by: Andrew Newberry


Aracari, Chestnut-eared  Pteroglossus castanotis  Found: South America 
Photographed by: Jose Cajacuri


Aracari, Collared  Pteroglossus torquatus  Found: South America 
Photographed by: 1) Lauri Vain - Macaw Mountain Bird Park & Nature Reserve, Honduras  2) Hans Hillewaert - Costa Rica


Aracari, Fiery-billed  Pteroglossus frantzii  Found: Costa Rica, Panama
Photographed by: 1) Andrew Mace  2) Alison Le Garec - Costa Rica


Aracari, Green  Pteroglossus viridis  Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Tanaka Juuyoh   2) Sandy Cole - Birds of Eden, South Africa 


Aracari, Ivory-billed    Pteroglossus azara  Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) digitalART2 - Philadelphia Mcneil Avian Center  2) Valerie - Mcneil Avian Center


Aracari, Pale-mandibled   Pteroglossus erythropygius  Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Mark Watson - Ecuador  2) Steve Carlton - Dallas World Aquarium




Genus Ramphastos

Toucan, Channel-billed Ramphastos vitellinusFound: South America
Photographed by: 1) Arjan Haverkamp  2) Alfonso Jr   3) Dick Daniels - World of Birds, South Africa


Toucan, Chestnut-mandibled  Ramphastos swainsonii  Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Jungle Island of Miami 2) Jerry Oldenettel - Costa Rica


Toucan, Keel-billed  Ramphastos sulfuratus  Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Donar Reiskoffer - La Pumas Zoo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica 

Toucan, Red-breasted  Ramphastos dicolorus  Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil  2) Dario Sanches - Brazil

Toucan, Toco  Ramphastos toco  Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Daph Chloe  2) Thomas Hermes - Vogelpark Walsrode, Walsrode, Germany 
    3) Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil


Toucan, White-throated  Ramphastos tucanus  Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Cburnett  2)