Toco Toucan

Design

The bright colors of the Toco may seem to us to make it stand out; however, God designed it with those bright colors as part of His creativity and beauty in creation. Since the Fall of man, these colors seem to help this species blend into its habitat. Its dark body allows it to hide in the shadows of trees and its bright colors are easily overlooked as flowers or fruit among the trees. Even though its beak appears heavy, it is actually designed with lightweight material, containing a number of air pockets.

Features

• The body plumage of the Toco toucan is black with a white patch on its throat. The beak of the Toco is brightly colored while bare orange areas surround the eyes.
• The Toco is the only non-forest toucan.

Fun Facts

• Thin rods of bone help support the Toco’s beak.
• The Toco’s tongue is similar to a feather, and it is used to toss food down its throat.
• With such a large bill, the toucan has a unique sleeping position. It turns its head around and lays its bill on its back.
• Tocos participate in a ritual of tossing fruit to each other.

Created Kind Members

Keel-billed toucan, white-throated toucan