Animal Directory Featured species in the planned Tropical Rainforest Dome habitat
Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE CC BY-SA 2.0 Wikimedia Commons
Toco Toucan
Ramphastos toco
Young Explorer Notes
Three quick things to know about the Toco Toucan.
- Superpower
The largest toucan species, with a bright orange bill nearly one-third the length of its body that acts as a radiator…
- Home
A warm, misty dome full of rain-forest plants and sounds.
- How to help
Doing great in the wild!
Scientists say this species is safe for now. We still learn about them to keep it that way.
Fun facts for everyone
- The largest toucan species, with a bright orange bill nearly one-third the length of its body that acts as a radiator to regulate body temperature.
- Despite its size, the bill is incredibly light — built from a honeycomb of bony struts wrapped in keratin.
- Uses its long bill to reach fruit on thin branches that would never bear the bird's weight, then tosses morsels into the air to swallow.
- Sleeps with its bill tucked under its wing and its tail folded forward over the body to form a tight feathery ball.
- IUCN lists the species as Least Concern with a stable, widespread population across the savannas and forest edges of South America.
From the master plan
The Toco Toucan is one of the headline canopy species of the planned Tropical Rainforest Dome. Its silhouette — black body, white bib, that absurd glowing bill — is built to be the cover image of every guest’s rainforest photo album.
IUCN status sourced from the Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco) assessment (BirdLife International, 2018) on the IUCN Red List — listed as Least Concern with a stable population trend.
Find them in
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