Birds · Piciformes · Ramphastidae

Toco Toucan

Ramphastos toco

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It has the largest bill relative to body size of any bird, used not only to feed but also to regulate its body temperature.

Weight

500 g – 860 g

Size

up to 63.5 cm

Lifespan

17 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaOmnivore Diurnal In pairs Bird Savanna

11countries 17parks5same family

Fun facts

It has the largest bill relative to body size of any bird, up to 20 cm long.
It uses the bill to shed heat through its blood vessels, regulating its body temperature.
The chicks hatch entirely blind and featherless.
fisiologíaIts enormous bill is, for all its size, very light thanks to a honeycomb bone structure inside, and doubles as a radiator to shed excess body heat.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - pneumatised bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Open woodland, savannah and palm groves of South America, favouring more open country than other toucans
Birth weight: Very light, with naked pink translucent skin on hatching; no precise weight found
Size at birth: Blind, featherless and with a short, pale, soft bill on hatching (altricial)
Sexual maturity: 3-4 years
Gestation / incubation: 16-20 days
Litter / clutch size: 2 to 4 eggs per clutch
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 20-26 years in captivity

Sources consulted: Louisville Zoo; Rancho Texas; Birdsology; Animal Diversity Web; Birds Info World; Animalia.bio; AnimalSpot; Wikipedia (Toco toucan)