TOUCAN

About Toucan

Did you know? Many of our Rainforest Expeditions visitors spy Toucans from our canopy towers!

From the canopy tower at our Posada Amazonas lodge, you can gaze down upon a sea of jade-green trees stretching to the horizon. But among the leaves and vivid blooms, animals lurk. If you scan the treetops with binoculars, you may spot the iconic Toucan in the treetops!

Medium to large-sized birds with huge bills, some say Toucans look like “flying bananas” when they take to the air. They glide between the treetops, adding color to the canopy with their bright black, white, red, and/or yellow feathers. Striking and exotic in appearance, toucans are an essential part of any Amazon rainforest adventure!

Toucan Fun Facts

• Omnivores: Most Toucan species forage in the rainforest canopy for fruits, insects, and lizards. They also take bird’s eggs and nestlings to snack on!


• Highly social birds: You’ll almost never see a Toucan all alone. Larger species and Toucanets usually stay in pairs or small groups, while smaller Aracari Toucans often troop through the forest in groups of about ten!


• Beak envy?: Male toucans have slightly larger bills than females. This difference is very apparent when you see a male and female together.


• Super smart: Toucans appear to be quite intelligent. In captivity, they can learn to do tricks, and have even been reported to “tease” other family pets! Toucans actually act a lot like crows and jays — another family of smart, social birds.

How to plan your Amazon travel to see the Toucan and other jungle wildlife

• Watch from a canopy tower: Most toucans stick to the treetops, hardly ever flying down into lower levels of the forest. They often perch on the tallest of canopy snags.


• Watch the treetops during boat rides: Traveling by boat on the Tambopata River is another great way to see toucans. They often perch in treetops and fly across this lowland jungle river.


• Explore with a trained guide: Visit the Rainforest Expedition lodges in the Peruvian Amazon. One of our experienced guides will help you find them!

Toucans in the Tambopata National Reserve

Common Name	Scientific Name
Aulacorhynchus
1) Emerald Toucanet	Aulacorhynchus prasinus
Pteroglossus
2) Bron-Mandibled Aracari	Pteroglossus mariae
3) Chestnut-Eared Aracari	Pteroglossus castanotis
4) Curl-Crested Aracari	Pteroglossus beauharnaesii
5) Ivory-Billed Aracari	Pteroglossus flavirostris
6) Lettered Aracari	Pteroglossus inscriptus
Ramphastos
7) White-Throated Toucan	Ramphastos tucanus
8) Yellow-Ridged Toucan	Ramphastos culminatus
Selenidera
9) Golden-Collared Toucanet	Selenidera reinwardtii