seem awkward, the birds seem to have little difficulty.
The long bill may be adaptive in permitting the relatively
heavy bird to reach out and clip fruits from branch tips,
which its weight would otherwise prohibit. In addition
to fruits and berries, toucans eat insects, spiders, lizards,
snakes, and nestling birds and eggs, all of which contain
more protein than fruit. Large birds, typically in groups,
toucans and aracaris are intimidating to other bird
species. They easily displace other species in fruiting
trees, for example.
Some species of toucans bear a close anatomical
resemblance and are best identified by voice; some have
yelping calls and others croak. Many ornithologists
and birders have noted that where two large and
similar toucans co- occur, one typically is a yelper
while the other is a croaker. This vocalization pattern
applies, for instance, in Panama, where the Keel- billed
Toucan is a croaker, and the similar Yellow- throated
(formerly Chestnut- mandibled) Toucan (R. ambiguus
swainsonii) is a yelper.
Toucanets, represented by several genera and 14
species, are small ramphastids, many of which are
primarily greenish, with rufous tails (plate 15- 29).
Their bills are variable and may serve for species
recognition. Some, such as the Spot- billed Toucanet
(plate 15- 30), have extremely bright skin coloration
around the eye. Aracaris (genus Pteroglossus) are about
44 cm (17.3 in) long and mostly dark in color, with
banded breasts highlighted by bright yellow or orange
red (plates 15- 31– 32). Their bills also vary from species
to species. They have longer pointed tails than typical
toucans. Both aracaris and toucanets are gregarious
and are primarily fruit eaters.
Finally, there are the four species of mountain-
toucans (Andigena spp.), which occur in cloud forests.
These were mentioned in chapter 13 (plate 13- 12).Neotropical Barbets
The barbets of the Neotropics fall into two families:
New World barbets (family Capitonidae) and prong-
billed barbets (Semnornithidae). Barbets are smaller
than toucans but somewhat similar in that they are
colorful, frugivorous birds with prominent wide bills.
There are 14 species currently listed by the AOU in
the Capitonidae (though other authorities recognize
18 species, and this is another case of taxonomic flux
currently ongoing in ornithology). Barbets also arefound in Africa and Asia, but analysis of DNA indicates
that New World barbets, African barbets, and Asian
barbets are each in distinct families.
New World barbets are genetically most similar to
toucans. There are two genera in the family, Eubucco
and Capito (plates 15- 33– 34). Look for these barbets
in small flocks in fruiting trees. A barbet flock can
be extremely territorial when defending a fruit tree,
driving away larger birds such as pigeons.Plate 15- 33. The Red- headed Barbet (Eubucco bourcierii) is
found in lowland and transitional cloud forest as well as
secondary growth in northwestern South America. Photo by
Nancy Norman.Plate 15- 34. The Black- girdled Barbet (Capito dayi) occurs in
central Amazonia. The female is at the top of the photo, the
red- capped male at the bottom. Photo by John Kricher.chapter 15 neotropical birds: the bustling crowd 275