Channel billed toucan
Ramphastos vitellinus
Bouncing skills
Channel billed toucans rarely fly more than 100 metres at a time and prefer to bounce from branch to branch.
Keeping cool
The channel billed toucan’s large bill helps to regulate body temperature. A toucan’s bill can reach over 18cm in length, and is also used to reach for food and break open bird nests.
Mystical creatures
Some species of toucan are hunted for their meat and colourful feathers but many local tribes regard them as mystical creatures that guide dead spirits from one world to the next. This means that they are traditionally protected.
Quick facts
| Scientific name Ramphastos vitellinus | Native to South America | Rainforest layer Canopy |
| Diet Fruit | Size Maximum length 50cm | Weight 400g |
| Lifespan 20 years | IUCN conservation status Vulnerable – learn more | CITES Appendix ii Trade restricted – learn more |
Concerns
Channel billed toucans are classified as vulnerable by the IUCN. It is thought that the population has declined rapidly over three generations because of deforestation in the Amazon basin, and the species’ susceptibility to hunting.