Toucans

Toucans are colorful Neotropical birds from the Ramphastidae family, closely related to American barbets, and known for their large, vibrant bills. They stay in tree hollows and don't migrate, often seen in pairs or small flocks. While toucans typically appear in five genera and include over forty species, they all mostly feed on fruit, sometimes adding insects, eggs, and small animals to their diet. Toucans' most distinctive feature is their bills, which they use for reaching food, thermal regulation, and possibly for intimidation. They range in size and have short strong legs with a unique arrangement of the toes. Surprisingly social, they often engage in bill-fencing to establish hierarchies. Native to the forests of the Neotropics, toucans have not adapted to dispersing across large water bodies, and the only non-forest toucan, the Toco, dwells in savannah and open woodlands. Their breeding requires large trees for nesting and their calls include a range of sounds from croaks to barks. Toucans have considerable cultural significance and are recognized worldwide, prominent in advertisements, media, and even politics in Brazil where they are symbolic of the Social Democracy Party.