Fast Facts: Keel-Billed Toucan

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The Keel-Billed Toucan : Ramphastos sulfuratus

Description: The Keel-Billed Toucan is a large tropical bird with black plumage and a distinctively colorful bill and chest.  The Keel-Billed Toucan has the nickname of sulfur-breasted toucan, alluding to the bright yellow patch on its neck and chest. It has bright blue feet categorized as zygodactyl feet, which help this toucan stay balanced when jumping from branch to branch. 


Habitat: Preferring tropical or sub-tropical rainforests with warm weather and high rainfall, this toucan typically lives at high elevations around 2000-5000 feet above ground level in southern Mexico and South America. Despite having wings, the Keel-Billed Toucan rarely flies and spends most of its time in the canopies of the trees. 

Diet: A Keel-Billed Toucan's diet is made up of fruits, seeds, and insects. As omnivorous creatures, flocks will even find and eat other birds and their eggs. Its namesake bill allows the Keel-Billed Toucan to pick out fruits and seeds easily that otherwise would be inedible to it. First, the toucan will dissect their meal before tossing it into the air and then swallowing it whole. This is very important as the process of dissecting fruit leads for seed-dispersal in the Amazon Rainforest, allowing new fruit trees to grow. 


Behavior: The Keel-Billed Toucan moves around by jumping rather than flying. A very social bird, it roosts with many other toucans and even 'duels' with them, tossing fruit into each other's bills. These birds live in flocks consisting of six to twelve toucans and are rarely seen alone. With breeding behavior categorized as 'serial monogamy', mates with stay with each for at least one year to raise chicks before moving on to a new mate. 


Conservation Status: Listed as Least Concern, scientists estimate the Keel-Billed Toucan population consists of up to half a million birds. However, these numbers are decreasing due to habitat loss and poaching; traders often capture toucans in trade for exotic pets. 


Unique Traits: Unlike several other kinds of bird bills, the Keel-Billed Toucan's signature bill is very light. It's made out of spongy, hollow bone that is covered in keratin. As stated above, this bill is one of the most notable characteristics of the Keel-Billed Toucan, serving an important role in tropical rainforest reproduction cycles. In addition, because of its unique bill, the Keel-Billed Toucan is able to self-regulate its body temperature in response to climate changes. This toucan is also known for its loud, frog-like calls which can be heard from a half mile away. 






Keel-Billed Toucan Facts and Information | SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment

Keel-billed toucan - Wikipedia

Fun Keel-billed Toucan Facts For Kids (kidadl.com)

Keel-billed Toucan – AZ Birds



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