FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
Are you ready to know about one of the most beautiful birds that live in the tropical forests? Let us introduce you to the keel-billed toucan, also known as the rainbow-billed toucan or sulfur-breasted toucan. Their scientific name is 'Ramphastos sulfuratus.' The species is known for its beautiful rainbow-colored plumage that includes black, red, yellow, green, and blue feathers. The bright yellow chest of this bird is strikingly beautiful. The bills of this species are extra special because it not only contains many different colors but also because of its lightweight composition. Wonder why? It's because the keel-billed toucan beak or bill is made of a hollow bone that is covered with keratin. The keel-billed toucan can be discovered in their usual habitat, which is the Tropical rainforests of Latin America. The population has a habitat spanning from the forests of Southern Mexico to Colombia. They have high popularity in Costa Rica. It is an omnivorous bird, and the usual keel-billed toucan diet involves fruits and berries. They can even swallow a fruit whole because of their trusted bills. The keel-billed toucan population isn't fond of flying, but they like to live in short flocks, and even huddle together in the nests in forest trees and tree cavities. Their current conservation status is 'Least Concern' according to the IUNC Red List. However, their population is at threat due to poaching for the exotic pet trade as well as habitat loss.
Keep reading the keel-billed toucan facts to know more about their bill and the bird's life in a forest. For more interesting reads check out the articles Purple Finch and Carrion Crow.
A keel-billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) is a gorgeous bird with colorful plumage.
Keel-billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) belongs to the class 'Aves' which stands for a bird. They belong from the order 'Piciformes'.
According to IUCN Red List, there are anywhere from 50,000-500,000 keel-billed toucans living in the world.
The keel-billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) population usually live on the trees of the tropical, subtropical, and lowland rainforests of Latin America. A keel-billed toucan's population can be found anywhere between Southern Mexico to Venezuela to Colombia.
A keel-billed toucan enjoys high canopies in more moist forests. They have a habit of hopping from one tree to the next, and they can easily hide behind the big leaves. During the night, they roost inside holes present in the tree barks. Up to six keel-billed toucans can inhabit the same nest. They can inhabit areas up to an altitude of 6,200 ft (1,900 m). You cannot possibly search keel-billed toucan in a forest as they are hidden up in the trees.
Keel-billed toucans are social animals and they live in a flock of 6-12 individuals. They are also known for sharing their living spaces with each other. Keel-billed toucans also love to engage in 'duels' using their colorful but spongy bills, and they also play ball by throwing fruits to each other.
For being a bird the keel-billed toucans can live up to 15-20 years which is phenomenal. Maybe it's because of their rich fruit-based diet.
Keel-billed toucans usually form serially monogamous pairs every year to raise the young toucans. They nest in a tree cavity that is already present in the forest. A female lays anywhere between one to four white eggs. The responsibility of incubating the eggs falls on both the parents. It takes about 20 days for the eggs to hatch and for the young toucans to settle in the nest. The pair has an equal job of feeding the chicks. The young toucans are totally dependent on their parents as they are born blind and without any feathers. It can take up to three weeks for the birds to open their eyes. The young birds stay in the nest for eight to nine weeks, where they transform into the beautiful keel-billed toucan before turning into a fledgling. A keel-billed toucan can feed on its own unfertilized eggs.
According to the IUCN Red List, the keel-billed toucans are placed under the status of 'Least Concern'. However, the birds are often hunted for their colorful bills and poached to be kept as exotic pets and the birds are also facing habitat loss.
Keel-billed toucans are one of the most colorful birds that you can come across. It is also the reason it is known as the rainbow-billed toucan. The first thing to notice about this species is their rainbow plumage which consists of yellow, red, and black feathers. When it comes to their bill, it has a very distinct color combination that almost resembles that of a painting. The bill has splotches of orange, red, and blue, while it is majorly yellow and green in color. The joining point of the bill to the toucan's body has a black lining. The species happen to have blue feet in which two toes facing forward, and two toes face the back. The black eyes of the species are usually circled with green which makes their black pupil pop. If you happen to notice closely, you will see a little beat of blue on their tail.
Kill-billed toucans are very cute, especially because of their colorful plumage. Their rainbow-colored look covers the whole of their bodies including the bill. The green and red feathers are especially striking and beautiful. However, the most beautiful aspect of this bird is its eyes that are usually surrounded by green circles.
Keel-billed Toucans have a unique way of using froglike calls to communicate with flock members. The animals are so loud that they can be heard from a distance of 0.5 miles or almost one kilometre.
The average body length of a keel-billed toucan is 17-22 in (42-55 cm). Moreover, their beak or bill can itself measure up to 4.7-5.9 in (2-15 cm) which is quite big. The big bill helps them to eat a fruit whole and even to swallow its seed. They are a tad smaller compared to the toco toucans that have an average length of 24 in or 61 cm.
The maximum flight height for a keel-billed toucan isn't known. The birds aren't fond of flying and they only prefer to fly very short distances. The average wingspan seen in the animals is 43-60 in (109-152 cm) and they fly in short bursts.
The average weight of keel-billed toucan Birds is 13 oz – 18 oz (380 g – 500 g). The animals look heavy because of the fluff of their feathers.
There are no distinct names for the male and female present in the species.
A baby keel-billed toucan that has just hatched from the eggs will be called a chick.
Keel-billed toucans are considered to be omnivores, so they eat a variety of things as their diet. These birds can feed on things like fruits, insects, lizards, eggs, and berries in their diet. Their long bill helps them to feed on different kinds of fruits for a healthy diet. They usually gulp down their food by tossing their head backward while holding onto a tree branch.
Not really, keel-billed toucans are social birds that like to cohabit in small flocks. They like to take part in fun 'duels', the games aren't aggressive though.
No, keel-billed toucans are wild and free birds that are supposed to live in the forest. Even though they are poached for the illegal pet trade and a pair of the bird is sold at $20,400-$24,400, it isn't advisable to keep them in captivity as a keel-billed toucan pet.
The keel-billed toucan is the national bird species of Belize. Apart from the toucan just being the National Bird of Belize, there even happens to be a special subspecies R. s. sulfuratus found only in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico.
A keel-billed toucan's beak may look heavy but actually formed by a Keratin-covered hollow bone which keeps it spongy and lightweight while being break-resistant.
Yes. keel-billed toucans live in small flocks of 6-12 individuals and they even share their nests with other birds while sleeping.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds including scarlet macaw, or laughing kookaburra.
You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our keel-billed toucans coloring pages.
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising.
We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published.
Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.
We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
Was this article helpful?
We’ll send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out.
Check your inbox for your latest news from us. You have subscribed to:
Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter.