In Costa Rica there are six different species of toucans.
These big birds, with large beaks and beautiful colors, live mostly in tropical areas. You will be able to see them in different parts all over the country.
Toucans inhabit from the tropical forests of the southern part of Mexico to the north of Argentina.
You will find toucans in the forests and tropical savannah as well.
They are omnivores and normally live between 15 to 20 years.
Toucans types in Costa Rica
Keel-billed toucan
Its scientific name is Ramphastos sulfuratus.
Other names are sulfur-breasted toucan or rainbow-billed toucan.
This colorful member of the Latin American toucan family often inhabits humid forests.
You will see “keel-billed” toucans in the lowlands or hills of the Caribbean.
Another place to see them is also in the forest places of the North Pacific.
Its plumage is mostly black with some yellow parts. They measure between 42 to 55 cm on average.
This specie of toucan eat a large number of fruits.
What they usually do is to use their large beak to pierce the fruits, and then, they set their heads back to swallow it.
Other things they eat are insects, eggs of other birds, or lizards.
Black-mandibled toucan
Most of the plumage of this species of toucan is black. The upper chest and throat are yellow with a red border.
Its beak has two colors, and females have a slightly shorter beak.
Their habitat is from the Andes of Peru, in Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela,
and Costa Rica.
Black-mandibled toucan adapts to different types of habitats.
It is one of the two largest types of toucans that exist alive nowadays, the toco toucan. They measure between 47 to 61 centimeters on average.
Fiery-billed Aracari
This bird breeds only on the Pacific slopes of southern Costa Rica and western Panama.
Its scientific name is Pteroglossus frantzii , and sometimes people call them Frantz’s Aracari.
Like the other species of toucan, the fire-billed aracari has brightly colors and a large bill.
This species of toucans normally measures around 43 cm.
They breed only on the Pacific slopes of southern Costa Rica and western Panama.
Collared Aricari
Its scientific name is Pteroglossus torquatus.
This toucan is small but very colorful. It inhabits places like tropical jungle and humid forests.
Among the places where they can be found are the Nicoya Peninsula, the Caribbean slope and parts of Guanacaste.
To find more information about the Collared Aricari toucan click here
Emerald Toucanet
Male and female are very similar, in this species of toucans.
They often measure between 30 to 35 cm long. Although, the female is usually a little smaller, and they also have a shorter beak.
This species of toucans are generally green color, and have a red tail tip.
Yellow-eared toucanet
This species of toucan is relatively large, in relation to the other species.
It differs in color from the female, in that the male has a yellow stripe, and the female
has a brown crown.
You will find them in the humid forests of Central America.
To see the toucans and other types of birds, book a private bird watching tour with junglelifecr