Small, arboreal toucan 30–35 cm long with predominantly emerald‑green plumage. Throat bluish‑white (Caribbean subspecies) or turquoise (Pacific subspecies) bordered below by a narrow black band; undertail coverts rich chestnut‑red. Long graduated tail and wings tinged blue on outer webs. Bill relatively short (4.5–5.5 cm), laterally compressed: culmen and distal two‑thirds black, basal maxilla yellow to ivory forming a broad patch; mandible entirely black. Bare orbital skin dark slate. Sexes alike; juveniles duller with shorter bills and brownish gape. Weight 140–180 g.
Total length 30–35 cm; wingspan ≈ 45 cm
140–180 g
12–15 yr wild; up to 20 yr captivity
Data deficient
Data deficient
≈ 2 yr
March – June (late dry to early wet)
2–4 glossy white eggs; one clutch per year
Small, arboreal toucan 30–35 cm long with predominantly emerald‑green plumage. Throat bluish‑white (Caribbean subspecies) or turquoise (Pacific subspecies) bordered below by a narrow black band; undertail coverts rich chestnut‑red. Long graduated tail and wings tinged blue on outer webs. Bill relatively short (4.5–5.5 cm), laterally compressed: culmen and distal two‑thirds black, basal maxilla yellow to ivory forming a broad patch; mandible entirely black. Bare orbital skin dark slate. Sexes alike; juveniles duller with shorter bills and brownish gape. Weight 140–180 g.
Resident of humid premontane and montane cloud forest, mature secondary forest and shaded agro‑forestry plots between 900 – 2 400 m; favours canopy gaps, fruiting epiphytes and moss‑laden branches.
Predominantly frugivorous (≈ 75 % diet) on Ficus, Cecropia, Ilex, Oreomunnea; opportunistically consumes large insects, anoles and bird eggs; disperses small to mid‑sized seeds
Social Structure & Behaviour
Activity pattern: diurnal; foraging peaks 07:00–11:00 and 14:00–17:00.
Group size: pairs or small family parties of 3–6; join mixed‑species frugivore flocks at fruiting trees.
Breeding system: seasonal monogamy; both sexes excavate/appropriate woodpecker cavities 5–20 m high.
Territoriality: pairs defend ≈ 2–4 ha core around nest using rapid duet calls, bill‑clacking and chase flights.
Communication: high‑pitched “rrík‑rrík,” grunts and croaks; tail flicks and head bows strengthen pair bond.
Special behaviours: regurgitates seeds intact, cleaning bill against mossy branches; helper juveniles occasionally assist in feeding younger siblings.
Emits a rapid, metallic “rrík‑rrík‑rrík” up to 60 notes min⁻¹ during territorial duets.
Communal roosts of 4–8 individuals cram into abandoned woodpecker holes, aligning bills vertically to fit.
Bill serrations act like fruit saws, slicing tough pericarps before swallowing.
Sometimes “ant‑follows,” capturing flushed insects behind army‑ant columns.
Known to cache berries in moss mats, retrieving them hours later.
Native
Decreasing
