The Keel-billed Toucan, known as the "bill bird"locally, is the national bird of Belize. The most obvious characteristic of the toucan is the huge yellow, orange, red, green and black bill. The toucan's bill is amazingly dexterous and allows the bird to feed on a variety of tropical forest fruits.
Toucans range in size from 18 to 63 cm (from 7 to 25 in). Characterized by their enormous bill, toucan males and females are alike in color. The larger bill of all toucans belongs to the male. The plumage in the genus containing the largest toucans is generally black, with touches of white, yellow, and scarlet. Toucans usually live in pairs or small flocks. They feed chiefly on fruit, and can manipulate small berries at the tip of the bill with great dexterity. They also eat small birds and lizards.
The Keel-billed toucans are a very social bird and can often be seen in flocks of six or more birds. They are found throughout Belize's forests and nest in holes in tree trunks. They lay one to four eggs and the parent birds take turns incubating the eggs. This bird displays a rapid, heavy flapping of the wings when flying and calls with a creek creek sound, similar to a frog.
The Toucan's large, colorful bill may look like it packs a mean bite, but it is better adapted for feeding rather than fighting. Toucans are primarily fruit eaters, feeding on a wide variety of tropical fruits of the forest. It feeds by snipping off the fruit and flipping its head back to gulp the fruit. Toucans will also feed on insects, lizards, snakes and event he eggs of smaller birds.
