Chestnut-tipped Toucanet

Overview

The chestnut-tipped toucanet (Aulacorhynchus derbianus) is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is distributed across the east slope of the Andes, spanning Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. The species is currently assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Identification

• Length of 33 to 41 cm with a weight of 141 to 262 g.
• Generally green plumage featuring a bluish nape, white throat, and wide chestnut tips on the tail feathers.
• Bill is deep red and black with a vertical white line at the base and maxillary grooves, though some individuals have an all-black bill.
• Song consists of long series of 'grrrrump to kwuk' notes, often sung together by pairs, along with 'ggg-rgg', 'ngg-ngg', and rattling 'bbdt-bbdt' notes.

Habitat

Found along the east slope of the Andes from southern Colombia through Ecuador and Peru into western Bolivia. It primarily inhabits subtropical montane cloudforest, though it also occurs in tropical forest in Bolivia. Elevation ranges mostly between 600 and 2,000 m.

Diet

Forages mostly in the canopy, typically in pairs but occasionally in groups of up to ten individuals. Its diet appears to consist mostly of fruits and their seeds, with some insects also taken.

Did you know?

The species was formerly considered conspecific with the tepui toucanet (Aulacorhynchus whitelianus) before being separated by major taxonomic systems in 2011.