The breeding behavior begin in spring and one can usually find sawdu t on th ground from the Co ... Parenting of ta pping the nest with their . The n1ale will feed the feinale and orne will chase the hen around The Keel ... billed Toucan the flight, making repeated visits to th nest while purring. I have ven Text and Photo by Regine DeRobert, San Diego, California seen the n1ale place his head and over the fen1ale's ba k as if to give her a hug. n 1995 I acquired my first pair not reach in although raccoons do Incu bation of the begin of Keel-billed Toucans. have claw three inche long. with the econd and only take I Imported from Nicaragua by The nest i a palm log which 16 days for toucan . Th first baby Jerry Jenning of En1erald Fore t has been hollow d out and a slice of Keel-billed was hatched June 7, Gardens they are part of a the log erve as a lid on which a 1998, and with my bucket of crickets Cooperative Breeding Program for tropical plant rests. The plant helps r ady for the first sound or ight of a toucans, known as the Toucan to prevent the toucans from attempt­ piece of eggshell I was ready. Preservation Center.)) The Ke 1- ing to enter via the top (knocking Encountering a piece of shell on billed toucan is found from outh­ the lid off, so to spaek) while they the floor I walked to the ide of the ern Mexico and include central are working the nest. The food dish­ nest where the food is located. America to Northern Columbia. As I e were place 1 clo e to the n t log Depositing the fruit, I then checked found while researching toucans, which enabled me to keep an eye the food and looked down into the not a lot was known about then1. on the ne t and what is inside. This hole of the nest as I passed by. The Before I could even pronounce was helpful in co-parenting, a I hen did not COine out. Leaving I Ramphastids, I found very few arti­ believe my being near the ne t d posited a treasured piece of grape cles and those that I did find were became a natural thing. It helped the at the opening. In this way I COI11D1U­ mo tly found in the AFA Watchbird parents as well. The nest log is four nicated to the hen that I, like the back is ues feet high and rest on the floor of n1ale, am feeding her. I left the buck­ I was deterrnined to make the the flight, giving me the opportunity et of crickets nearby and the male surroundings for my toucans as nat­ to ee into the nest as I approach the began taking crickets to the nest. It ural as pos ible. The flight which is food dishes. was not long until I learned to put a 20 feet long and eight foot wide ha a building at the rear. The flights are surrounded by potted ban1boo plant along with other tropical plants, such as bananas. Misters ar set to simulate rain and the toucan love to sit in the mist and enjoy the shower. In addition to the plants a ban1boo reed fence meet the wire for added privacy and a natural look. It also help to prevent a rac­ coon or other critter froin reaching in with his paws, and recently (for added security) it was extended to include the ide on which the Inorning sun appears. The fence now reache all the way around the aviary complex without ob curing the unlight. The wire i the same gauge a is used for parrots but th spacing of the bar of the flight is J/ _ inch, so that a raccoon paw can Keel-billed Toucan.

34 Third Quarter 2002 small heavy rock in the center of the went to nest again and this time pro- I wish I could do this with bucket, as it easily tipped over with duced two female babies which , I said. And, strangely the parents hopping around the edge. hatched on August 18. When the sis- enough, I am now doing just that Within a day or so I was able to ters fledged on Oct 3, after also with my Scarlet female, and a one peek in and see the baby usually in being hand fed from day 3, the first- year old male, both raised by myself. the afternoon when the female, due born picked on his sisters. During It will be two more years at least to the heat of the day, is out. This this time I was learning a lot from before I know if this is going to work. was the beginning of my little the birds and also picking the I work with the birds every day, and experiment to attempt to brain of poor Jerry Jennings I believe I will be allowed to do so. hand feed the baby in the continued to about such things as I went with my instinct. I would nest. Would the parents where did the third egg not try this with just any pair of birds, allow it? hand feed in the nest go as it had disap- but as always, there are exceptions to It seemed that thinking it may produce peared without a the general rules. I believe if filling the they found the trace. Jerry was feed bowls near the nest site is an schedule and a parent-fed baby who very supportive everyday routine, the birds from early checking perfectly was also hand fed and part- and we shared in their lives will find it perfectly nat­ normal, so on a information and ural that you are near the nest. It will gut feeling and Iy tame as well. I succeeded theories. facilitate the checking of the nest of unspoken intuitive and the male is today a I will never eggs and young. un d e r s tan din g normal but calm Keel- forget his reaction The next time (feeding the two between the female when I told him I sisters) I began feeding and weigh­ and myself, I first fed billed which should was being allowed to ing at two days of age. Little toucans the baby when its eyes make an excellent hand feed in the nest. raise their heads and open their opened on June 28. As I breeder. "Can you send me a pic- beaks wide. The stimulus seems to opened the top the female ture of that, with the parents be the touch on top of the head. The flew to my elbow at the perch. looking on," he asked? So I went parents feed them clinging to the I slowly with my right hand reached out and as I fed the baby with my side of the nest or from the opening. down and found the chick willingly right hand, I took a picture with my At the age of two days the babies excepted the papaya. left. In to get the picture of the appear pink but look more like a baby At the same time I could see parents in the background looking crow or a hawk, with the beak not that the mother at my left elbow was on, I needed to enlist the next most developed to its characteristic length. watching carefully, ready to attack. familiar person. A friends eight year The following year, two little She relaxed as she saw I was feed- old daughter, Jacklyn, entered the Keel-billed babies were hatched on ing her baby and, having been on flight with me and took the picture. A June 19th. One of the two babies her tiptoes watching, sat back on her future aviculturist one day, or perhaps was found the following morning perch. From that moment on we a photographer, she stayed by the dead. I removed it from the nest have always had a special relation- door, and captured the picture. leaving the one baby and unhatched ship and acceptance which included As seeing is believing, Jerry two eggs in the nest. The babies like her purring sounds when I brought Jennings congratulated me. to lay their heads over the eggs that her a treat or she wanted me to know she was ready to nest again. This was indicated to me by her going to the second nest in the back, and thrusting her beak into the John Brasaemle hole, and purring her happy con­ AFA • RMSA • CAS tented approval, and of her wish to do it again. Watercolors I continued to hand feed in the Pen and Ink Illustrations nest thinking it may produce a par­ Pencil • Colored Pencil ent-fed baby who was also hand fed and partly tame as well. I succeeded 303-420-0782 and the male is today a normal but Fax: 303-940-3369 calm Keel-billed which should make avianart@attbLcom an excellent breeder. On August 1, 1998 the pair

the afa WATCHBIRD 35 are unhatched, The dead baby's can is like, I will say this for now, it uoift Aft otfAfti2AtiOft head was "squashed" (I can not find has been one of the most rewarding things I have done in my life, They tkAt Atkie1leJ refuttf/ a better word) and it was apparent­ ly between the unhatched eggs and don't need to talk, they are playful,

Become a member todayl the other baby, and humorous with their antics, Had I not removed it, it would I have found that each bird is have been possible to come to the unique, and that in the attempt to co­ conclusion that the parents ate the parent. it helps if one does not have baby, I have heard many stories. It too many birds, as the small breeder is my belief from the experience I has more time to watch and develop have had that they will eat a dead a relationship with the birds, Trust is baby or an egg which fails to hatch, the first thing that must be accom­ but if food is on hand they do not plished. Making the birds happy is ,{lAM,,! h

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the afa WATCHBIRD 37