Channel-billed Toucan Ramphastos vitellinus Scientific name definitions

Taxonomic note: Lump. This account is a combination of multiple species accounts originally published in HBW Alive. That content has been combined and labeled here at the subspecies level. Moving forward we will create a more unified account for this parent taxon. Please consider contributing your expertise to update this account.

Large toucans (Ramphastos) are divided into two groups of species, the "croakers" and the "yelpers," based on the quality of their characteristic loud vocalizations. The Channel-billed Toucan is the most widespread species of "croaker." It occurs northwestern Colombia east across most of northern and central South America, including all of Amazonia; and also is found in the Atlantic Forests of southeastern Brazil. The general behavior of this species is typical of large toucans. It forages in the upper levels of humid lowland forest, consuming a varied diet of fruit, large arthropods, and small vertebrates (such as nestlings and eggs of smaller birds, frogs, and roosting bats). They usually travel solitarily or in pairs, but may form small flocks, and also join aggregations of other species (including other species of toucans) in fruiting trees. Across most of its range, the Channel-billed Toucan overlaps with a larger species in  the "yelping" group, the White-throated Toucan (Ramphastos tucanus). In eastern South America, the two species can be distinguished by the color of the breast and of the bill, but in western Amazonia, the pattern of the bill and plumage is amazingily similar in both species. Aside from the distinctly different voices of the two, the bill of the Channel-billed Toucan is relatively smaller than is the bill of the larger species. The Channel-billed Toucan is geographically variable, with four subspecies that differ primarily in the color of the bill, of the bare skin on the face, and of the breast and uppertail coverts. Each of these subspecies formerly was classified as a separate species, but they intergrade with one another where their ranges meet. All of the subspecies share a peculiar longitudinal groove or "channel" along the maxilla.

Channel-billed Toucan (Citron-throated)

48 cm; 360 g (R. citreolaemus × R. culminatus). Black upperparts  with yellow rump, throat and breast  pale lemon-yellow (often almost white), bordered below by inconspicuous, narrow red band  , most of rest underparts black, with red undertail-coverts; bare skin around eyes pale blue  ; bill  mostly black, with narrow greenish-yellow culmen ridge becoming yellow near tip, blue-green base to mandible, and broad yellow base to maxilla. Within comparatively limited range, is most likely to be confused with R. ambiguus, but latter has prominently bicoloured bill, bright yellow throat and is mainly found at higher elevations than the present species. Compared to all other taxa previously treated within <em>R. vitellinus</em> , R. citreolaemus has deeper bill with distinctive pattern, face blue, iris dark blue, bib mainly yellow-white, red breastband narrow, and pale yellow uppertail-coverts.

Channel-billed Toucan (Yellow-ridged)

48 cm; male 285–455 g, female 320–400 g, R. citreolaemus × R. culminatus (one female) 360 g, R. vitellinus × R. culminatus male 315–380 g, female 350 g, R. ariel × R. culminatus male 285–430 g, female 318–400 g. Compared to other members of <em>R. vitellinus</em> complex, R. culminatus is generally the heaviest, has shallower and narrower bill with yellower culmen (less greenish than R. citreolaemus) and yellow and blue base without orange, iris brown (occasionally yellow-brown, white or brown with blue outer ring), bib  almost purely white (little or no yellow, unlike R. citreolaemus), red breastband  very narrow (even more so than in R. citreolaemus), also gold-yellow uppertail-coverts (plainer yellow in R. citreolaemus, red in R. vitellinus and R. ariel); hybrids varyingly intermediate, with some semi-stabilization of populations of R. culminatus × R. ariel in EC Brazil.

Channel-billed Toucan (Channel-billed)

46–56 cm; 285–455 g, female averages 10–25 g less than male. Black above and on belly , with pale throat  and breast, brightly coloured uppertail-coverts, red undertail-coverts  ; laterally channelled bill mostly black with black basal line. Both sexes with red uppertail-coverts, white-sided orange-centred bib  , broad red breastband; bill all black but for blue patch ­towards base; facial skin blue , iris brown. Immature duller, lax plumage with muted reds, orange and yellow, rectrices more pointed, face paler, eyes dark, bill more keeled with diffuse patterning, nostrils atop bill, no basal line; spiky tarsal “heel”.

Channel-billed Toucan (Ariel)

48–56 cm; male 360–398 g, female 310–317 g, R. ariel × R. culminatus male 285–430 g, female 318–400 g. Compared to other members of <em>R. vitellinus</em> complex, <em>R. ariel</em> similar to R. vitellinus sensu stricto, but golden-yellow around base of otherwise deep-based black bill and blue basal culmen spot, broader bill channel, facial skin red  , iris pale blue (sometimes grey-white), bib has orange  to its edge, where yellower (lacking any white), and red breastband very broad and extends to abdomen (the deepest of any member of R. vitellinus complex).

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Channel-billed Toucan (Citron-throated)

Channel-billed Toucan (Yellow-ridged)

Channel-billed Toucan (Channel-billed)

Channel-billed Toucan (Ariel)

Channel-billed Toucan (Citron-throated)

CN & NE Colombia into NW Venezuela.

Channel-billed Toucan (Yellow-ridged)

NW & SW Venezuela, and Colombia E of Andes, E to C & E Brazil (W Pará, Piauí) and S to C Bolivia, Mato Grosso and SE Brazil (NW São Paulo).

Channel-billed Toucan (Channel-billed)

Trinidad, and E Venezuela, the Guianas, and NE Brazil N of Amazon; introduced on Grenada.

Channel-billed Toucan (Ariel)

Channel-billed Toucan (Citron-throated)

Channel-billed Toucan (Yellow-ridged)

Forested lowlands (frequently) near water, forest edge, swamp forest, clearings, riverine forest, patches in savannas, cerrado and riverine forest, up to c. 1700 m in Venezuela and generally to 1400 m in E Ecuador (exceptionally 1500 m) (3 Freile, J. F. (2004). Range extensions and other noteworthy and new bird records from mainland Ecuador. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 124(3):188–202. Close ). Enters dry forests in parts of Bolivian Andes, where recorded to 1650 m. Much less numerous in secondary, selectively cut forest even more than a decade after logging.

Channel-billed Toucan (Channel-billed)

Forested lowlands, most commonly near water, forest edge, also swamp-forest, forest clearings, riverine forest and forest patches in savannas and llanos, cerrado river forest, and up into wet upper tropical and at times subtropical forest; much less common in secondary, selectively cut forest, even a decade or more after cutting.

Channel-billed Toucan (Ariel)

Forested lowlands and foothills, often near water, forest edge, and forest patches in savannas, generally below c. 1000 m, and typically absent from arid and cleared areas. Typically occurs below R. dicolorus in SE Brazil, e.g. in state of Rio de Janeiro, although further S the two species occur together on Santa Catarina I (and sympatry occurs elsewhere during periods of peak fruit production in lowlands), and hybrids between them have been reported in this state.

Channel-billed Toucan (Citron-throated)

None known.

Channel-billed Toucan (Yellow-ridged)

Channel-billed Toucan (Channel-billed)

Some movement suggested, not well known; rarely erupts in large numbers, though see comments under R. ariel.

Channel-billed Toucan (Ariel)

None definitely known: a large eruption of toucans recorded in the Belém region around 1920 apparently originated from N, thus presumably involved R. vitellinus, rather than the present species.

Channel-billed Toucan (Citron-throated)

No known differences from R. vitellinus.

Channel-billed Toucan (Yellow-ridged)

Diet and foraging behaviour generally very similar to R. vitellinus. In Peru, observed feeding on Ficus spp., <em>Cecropia</em> spp. , Pouteria spp., Pourouma spp., Hevea guianensis and Oenocarpus spp. Has been suggested to mimic R. cuvieri, enabling present species to feed near the latter without aggression being shown towards, but this has been doubted.

Channel-billed Toucan (Channel-billed)

Palm “nuts”, figs, other fruits; also insects, spiders, other arthropods, lizards and other small vertebrates, probably frogs, toads, and roosting bats; takes eggs and young of birds; and nectar or flowers of Combretum and Quararibea. In captivity, kills and eats other birds in aviary; thrives on meat such as mice, and cooked carrots, potatoes and spinach, eggs, dog food, apples, pears, bananas, papayas, grapes. Feeds in canopy to middle storey, descends to ground for fallen fruits or to prey on animals. Stalks lizards, insects; takes termites in air; tears apart bird nests for eggs and young. Joins other birds following army ants, seizing small animals disturbed by the ants. Drinks from bromeliads, holds bill open in rain. Submissive to R. tucanus, also less actively dominant than that species in latter’s absence, often allowing other toucans to feed in same tree. Sometimes follows noisy groups of social Red-throated Caracaras (Ibycter americanus), as anti-predator strategy.

Channel-billed Toucan (Ariel)

Diet  and foraging behaviour generally very similar to R. vitellinus, e.g. Euterpe edulis palm fruits  possibly the single most important dietary constituent in the lowlands of SE Brazil (4 Galetti, M., Laps, R. and Pizo, M.A. (1998). Frugivory by toucans (Ramphastidae) at two altitudes in the Atlantic forest in Brazil. Proceedings of the XXII International Ornithological Congress, Durban. Ostrich. 69: 371. Close ); also recorded taking a frog  , and capturing and eating a black rat (Rattus rattus) (5 da Silva, J.N. and de Azevedo, C.S. (2012). Rattus rattus (Mammalia: Rodentia) predation by Ramphastos vitellinus (Aves: Ramphastidae) in Santa Teresa municipality, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia. 20(2): 156–157. Close ). Has been observed being displaced by R. dicolorus at fruiting trees (6 Sazima, I. (2010). Five instances of bird mimicry suggested for Neotropical birds: a brief reappraisal. Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia. 18(4): 328-335. Close ); in the main, these two species occur sympatrically only at peak of fruit availability in the lowlands, suggesting competition between them (4 Galetti, M., Laps, R. and Pizo, M.A. (1998). Frugivory by toucans (Ramphastidae) at two altitudes in the Atlantic forest in Brazil. Proceedings of the XXII International Ornithological Congress, Durban. Ostrich. 69: 371. Close ).

Channel-billed Toucan (Citron-throated)

Song  is series of frog-like, croaking  “cree-op” notes at rate of c. 1 note/second, much like others of the R. vitellinus group. Differs from R. sulfuratus, R. toco and R. dicolorus, as well as R. tucanus and R. ambiguus, in same ways as described for R. vitellinus.

Channel-billed Toucan (Yellow-ridged)

Song  a frog-like, croaking series  of bisyllabic “creeop, creeop, creeop...” notes, given at rate of c. 1 note/second, with pure “yeeee” or “peee” notes given most frequently in culminatus, compared to other members of R. vitellinus complex; no evidence (to date) of drumming in this species (see R. vitellinus). Differs from R. sulfuratus, R. toco and R. dicolorus, as well as R. tucanus and R. ambiguus, in same respects as R. vitellinus.

Channel-billed Toucan (Channel-billed)

Song , disyllabic, of noisy and clear elements mixed variously, “kee-ark” to “kerrrk” to “keee”, singly or in series, c. 30–50 per minute; sexes sing simultaneously, female generally slower, at higher pitch than male, countersinging common; grunting to whistle-like notes less harsh than in R. sulfuratus, R. toco and R. dicolorus, but lacking yelping, whistled, clear quality of R. tucanus and R. ambiguus; also pure grunts, peeping calls of young; clacks bill aggressively, taps softly to loudly at nest, producing woodpecker-like drumming.

Channel-billed Toucan (Ariel)

Song a frog-like, croaking series of bisyllabic “creeop, creeop, creeop...” or similar notes, given at rate of c. 1 note/second, with pure “yeeee” or “peee” notes; drumming notes at nest entrance in this species last 0·45–0·57 seconds. Overall vocal range and differences from R. sulfuratus, R. toco and R. dicolorus, as well as R. tucanus and R. ambiguus, as for R. vitellinus.

Channel-billed Toucan (Citron-throated)

Presumably generally very similar to R. vitellinus, but no detailed studies referrable to the present species. In N Colombia, birds in breeding condition collected in Jan (N Antioquia) and mid Mar (W Santander) (7 Hilty, S. L., and W. L. Brown (1986). A Guide to the Birds of Colombia. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA. Close ); also young birds observed Feb–Jul (1 Short, L.L. and Horne, J.F.M. (2001). Toucans, Barbets and Honeyguides. Ramphastidae, Capitonidae and Indicatoridae. Oxford University Press, Oxford & New York. Close ).

Channel-billed Toucan (Yellow-ridged)

Presumably generally very similar to R. vitellinus, but no detailed studies referrable to the present species. Season generally Aug–Mar in W Brazil, Oct–Apr in SC Brazil and Nov–Jul in Venezuela.

Channel-billed Toucan (Channel-billed)

Season Nov–Jul in Venezuela; extends into Aug–Sept, even to Nov, in the Guianas; at least Oct–Dec around Belém, Brazil (8 Oniki, Y. and E. O. Willis (1983). A study of breeding birds of the Belém area, Brazil: III. Trogonidae to Furnariidae. Ciência e Cultura 35(9):1320–1324. Close ); Mar–Jun on Trinidad. Male courtship-feeds female; singing in canopy, rarely from open perch as does R. tucanus, arc-swinging of head without deep bowing, may swing tail rapidly or jerk head in all directions; in captivity, breeding male and female kill any others caged with them. Nest in natural cavity, at any height, but sites limited so can be as low as 3·5 m; small entrance preferred, once 6·5 × 5·7 cm, but diameter to 10 cm; paired birds spend much time at cavity before laying, return to previously used hole if breeding there successful; territory c. 40 ha. Eggs 2–4 (2–5 in captivity), white, 35·5–36·6 mm × 27·9–29·6 mm; both sexes incubate, female perhaps more than male, which may feed her in nest, incubation period 16–18 days; hatchlings fed by both parents, probably with animal food at first; three chicks of captive pair were fed 10 mice and c. 80 small to large arthropods daily, and sought large insects entering cage; feeding rate very variable, e.g. once in nine hours, and 29 feeds in one day; nest kept clean, faecal material removed; eyes of chicks open about as feathers start to appear, at 2–3 weeks, well feathered at seven weeks, fledge at 37–46 days, young may fledge over several days; little information on post-fledging period, but captives feed themselves by c. 60 days. Normally 2–3 young fledge; captive pair laid 14 clutches in 14 consecutive years. Breeding possible at two years, more likely successful at 3–4 years of age.

Channel-billed Toucan (Ariel)

Presumably generally very similar to R. vitellinus, but no detailed studies referrable to the present species. Season generally Aug–Sept, even to Nov in NE Brazil, but presumably later in SE Brazil (perhaps Jan–Apr, matching overall breeding season for birds in this region). Eggs 2–4 (2–5 in captivity), white, 37–39 mm × 27–29·3 mm, mass 16·4 g. Male courtship-feeds female; singing in canopy, rarely from open perch as does R. tucanus, arc-swinging of head without deep bowing, may swing tail rapidly or jerk head in all directions; in captivity, breeding male and female kill any others caged with them. Nest in natural cavity  , at any height, but sites limited so can be as low as 3·5 m; small entrance preferred, once 6·5 × 5·7 cm, but diameter to 10 cm; paired birds spend much time at cavity before laying, return to previously used hole if breeding there successful; territory c. 40 ha. Both sexes incubate, female perhaps more than male, which may feed her in nest, incubation period 16–18 days; hatchlings  fed  by both parents, probably with animal food at first; three chicks of captive pair were fed 10 mice and c. 80 small to large arthropods daily, and sought large insects entering cage; feeding rate  very variable, e.g. once in nine hours, and 29 feeds in one day; nest kept clean, faecal material removed; eyes of chicks open about as feathers start to appear, at 2–3 weeks, well feathered  at seven weeks, fledge at 37–46 days, young may fledge over several days; little information on post-fledging period, but captives feed themselves by c. 60 days. Normally 2–3 young fledge; preyed  upon by hawk-eagles (Spizaetus) and Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus); captive pair laid 14 clutches in 14 consecutive years. Breeding possible at two years, more likely successful at 3–4 years of age.

Channel-billed Toucan (Citron-throated)

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Population suspected to be in decline, but not decreasing rapidly enough to warrant threatened status BirdLife International (2014) Species factsheet: Ramphastos citrolaemus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/09/2014. . Uncommon in Colombia, where deemed to be still fairly common in S Córdoba in early 1980s, and is known from protected areas such as El Paujil, Arrierito Antioqueño and Pauxi pauxi bird reserves. Scarce and local in Venezuela, where its Andean foothill habitat around L Maracaibo basin is fast disappearing; considered nationally Near Threatened (9 Sharpe, C. J. (2008). Aves. In Libro Rojo de la Fauna Venezolana. Terca edición (J. P. Rodríguez and F. Rojas-Suárez, Editors). Provita and Shell Venezuela, S. A., Caracas, Venezuela. pp. 122–157. Close ).

Channel-billed Toucan (Yellow-ridged)

VULNERABLE. CITES II. Fairly common throughout its large range, but suspected to be declining. In lakeside Peruvian forest 2 pairs/100 ha, but 1·5 pairs/100 ha in mature forest away from water. Main threats are subsistence hunting and habitat loss through deforestation. Based on a model of future deforestation in the Amazon basin (10 Soares-Filho, B. S., D. C. Nepstad, L. M. Curran, G. C. Cerqueira, R. A. Garcia, C. A. Ramos, E. Voll, A. McDonald, P. Lefebvre, and P. Schlesinger (2006). Modelling conservation in the Amazon Basin. Nature 440:520–523. Close ), this species is expected to lose up to a quarter of suitable habitat within its distribution over three generations (35 years) BirdLife International (2014) Species factsheet: Ramphastos culminatus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/09/2014. . Combined with its sensitivity to hunting, its population is projected to decline by almost one-third over this period; it was therefore listed as Vulnerable in 2014 BirdLife International (2014) Species factsheet: Ramphastos culminatus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/09/2014. . Given its extensive distrubution, the species is found in many protected areas, including Duida-Marahuaca, Serranía de La Neblina and Parima-Tapirapecó (39,000 km²) National Parks, which collectively form part of the 84,000 km² Alto Orinoco-Casiquiare Biosphere Reserve in S Venezuela; Jaú National Park (23,000 km²) in Brazil; Manu National Park (17,163 km²) in Peru; and Noel Kempff Mercado National Park (15,838 km²) in Bolivia.

Channel-billed Toucan (Channel-billed)

VULNERABLE. CITES II. Fairly common in tall, humid forest throughout its range, but suspected to be declining. Main threats are subsistence hunting and habitat loss through deforestation. Nesting-site requirements likely to be critical. Based on a model of future deforestation in the Amazon basin (10 Soares-Filho, B. S., D. C. Nepstad, L. M. Curran, G. C. Cerqueira, R. A. Garcia, C. A. Ramos, E. Voll, A. McDonald, P. Lefebvre, and P. Schlesinger (2006). Modelling conservation in the Amazon Basin. Nature 440:520–523. Close ), this species is expected to lose up to a quarter of suitable habitat within its distribution over three generations (35 years) BirdLife International (2014) Species factsheet: Ramphastos vitellinus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/09/2014. . Combined with its sensitivity to hunting, its population is projected to decline by almost a third over this period; it was therefore listed as Vulnerable in 2014 BirdLife International (2014) Species factsheet: Ramphastos vitellinus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/09/2014. . Present in Asa Wright Nature Centre, in Trinidad, and several large protected areas, including Canaima National Park (30,000 km²) in S Venezuela and the Central Suriname Nature Reserve (16,000 km², IUCN Category II). Introduced on Grenada, where it is rare but apparently established (11 Massiah, E. B., and M. D. Frost (2003). Is Channel-billed Toucan (Ramphastos vitellinus) established on Grenada? Journal of Caribbean Ornithology 16(1):68–69. Close , 12 Frost, M. D., and E. B. Massiah (2003). Observations of rare and unusual birds on Grenada. Journal of Caribbean Ornithology 16(1):63–65. Close ).

Channel-billed Toucan (Ariel)

ENDANGERED. CITES II. No population data, but suspected to be declining. Main threats are subsistence hunting and habitat loss through deforestation. Nest-site requirements likely to be critical. Based on a model of future deforestation in the Amazon basin (10 Soares-Filho, B. S., D. C. Nepstad, L. M. Curran, G. C. Cerqueira, R. A. Garcia, C. A. Ramos, E. Voll, A. McDonald, P. Lefebvre, and P. Schlesinger (2006). Modelling conservation in the Amazon Basin. Nature 440:520–523. Close ), this species is expected to lose between one-third and a half of suitable habitat within its distribution over three generations (35 years) BirdLife International (2014) Species factsheet: Ramphastos ariel. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/09/2014. . Combined with its sensitivity to hunting, its population is projected to decline by more than 50% over this period; it was therefore initially listed as Vulnerable in 2013 BirdLife International (2014) Species factsheet: Ramphastos ariel. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/09/2014. .