• • • by Jack Clinton-Eitniear McAllen, Texas Toucans of Northern LE REGENERATEUR ET SUPPLEMENT VITAMINIQUE POUR OISEAUX • v"" SUPPl(M£" _O",~I>OSE ~E ... 'AM !',ifS Esse ... • luES Central America ~ • E"''': .. DE EII • 1.1-'>; E..~PlO REC.Ul Ell 'I')uR"IjjAA Av' O'S£:. ES v 'AV ..·.£5 E' d lEA ECESS.). AE The hottest place in Latin America has feet in elevation, it seldom ventures OUt­ A u,,"e q 55.1'" E SA ... e got to be Merida, Yacatan in late]une. I side the dense forest as does the smaller 'e '\ )0'" normally would have taken a more aracaris and toucanets. Much ofthe year it .A high potency multivitamin southernly route back to the United remains in flocks roaming from fruiting '.~~ diet supplement for all cage States but was to meet my wife in Merida tree to tree. During the spring months the birds. Regular use Will ensure for her first real taste ofMexico. Traveling males spread out among the forest and that all essential nutritional west through the Ucatan peninsula we perch atop a tall tree where they emit that requirements during a bird's lifespanare fully met. Hagen soon crossed the Rio Usumacinta, the last froglike "Gaab" for hours on end. Vitamin Supplement Condi- ofthe truely wild rivers in Northern Cen­ Nesting in holes, generally in live trees tioner contains among other tral America. Soon we were at our where a branch broke off, or a ingredients VITAMIN A to pro· destination, the ruins of Palenque, mote health of plumage and woodpecker home from past years, the skin. Also to aid resistance to Chiapas. After walking throughout the toucan lays its one to four dull white eggs disease. VITAMIN Dpromotes ruins area and taking the normal tourist in an unlined cup that may be from strong bone formation in type pictures we decided that the hot several inches to several feet below the young and nesting birds. VITAMIN D & A promotes summer sun was getting the best ofus and entrance. qUick moult and restoration that we best leave and seek a friendly iced Although a fruiteater most of the year of plumage. VITAMIN B is re­ glass ofcola. As soon as we were at the last it frequently has been observed feeding quired for health and growth leg of the exit path a strange croaking small lizards and insects to its young. of the nervous systems. VITAMIN C is vitally required sound vibrated from the forest above the Not kept as pets by the natives, it is a fre­ for resistance to infections ruins. Only one call was needed to spark quently hunted species as it is fairly tasty and disease. VITAMIN E for ..it's a keel- billed toucan! !" We scoured and is easy prey for even the poorest shot mating birds and the preven­ the treetops for nearly ten minutes before with a slingshot. This was illustrated tIOn of infertility IRON to pre­ vent anemia and increase the discovering the location of this big beak­ vividly when I discovered a Polaroid type synthesis of hemaglobin. ed bird. It was the first toucan that Mary photo of a young Indian holding five has seen in the wild and although I have keel-bills by their feet. Apparently these seen countless others we both stood, were prized trophies as he had a large sweat dripping down our foreheads, smile of pride on his face. The photo was ~HAGEN. watching the comical antics of this posted on the wall of a hut where the wonder of the bird world. residents of the village gathered. AVAILABLE FROM YOUR The Keel-billed Toucan (Ramphastos Although such activities undoubtedly LOCAL PET SHOP sulfuratus) can be found in reasonable have an affect on the local population, it numbers from Lago Catemaco, Veracruz, is the loss of habitat that creates the Mexico south to Northern Columbia. In­ greatest problem. habiting lowland forest up to about 2500 A smaller but equally colorful species, 27 is replaced with the Blue-throated Toucanet (A. caeruleogularis) , but this species is considered by many to be only a different race of A. prasinus. Although moving to the highlands and cloud forest to breed, it can frequently be observed in the lowland forest during the non­ breeding season. The nesting cavity I found was in lowland forest, therefore some do nest in lowland forest but the general rule is that they move up into higher elevations. Years ago I had a young Collared Aracaris for a pet and found it to be very affectionate. It would roost on the bed­ post with tail venical and bill over its back. Fed a diet offresh fruit and monkey chow, they thrive well and are good pets for individuals who want to put a bit of the tropics into their house but aren't too keen on having the morning alarm followed by screaming parrots. Several in­ dividuals have had recent success with breeding the most commonly imported Nesting in a hole created by the loss ofa tree limb, Keel-btlled Toucans are one ofthe few species, including the emerald, keel­ stereotyped birds ofthe I Jungle" that are generally in abundance. billed, crimson-romped and red-billed. The determination of sexes is generally done by the differences in bill size. the Collared Aracari (Pteroglossus tor­ these aracaris flying across my path in Several birds, if placed in one large cage, quatus) shares much of the same range varying numbers but have never will pair off in spring. Caution must be with the Keel-billed Toucan, but ven­ discovered a nest. A friend involved in taken in this method as they become ag­ tures outside the lowland forest into making wildlife films did find such a nest gressive after paired and will require woodland edges and coffee and fruit and documented it feeding its young in­ separation if you wish to take out the plantations. It also can be encountered in sects and lizards. Having the strange same number of toucans as you put in. higher elevations, being recorded up to habit of communal roosting in tree Given a natural type log with a cavity, the 4000 feet. Not as froglike of a call, its cavities, several birds will pile into a cavity birds will (with a little luck) multiply. squeaky "we-chip" really doesn't stand at dusk. With tails venical and bills over One note should be made-the pet out in the forest as does the Keel-billed their backs, they pass the night. The toucan in my possession had the strange toucan's call. I have seen anumber of species is not hunted to the extent of the habit ofshaking its bill after feeding, thus larger toucans but the slash/burn techni­ requiring you to scrape dried banana off ques of agriculture will undoubtedly af­ the ceiling! Oh the joys of having pet fect its population ifthe natives continue. birds! A much less colorful toucan, the If you are interested in these three Emerald Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus species oftoucans, I recommend that you prasinus), being green with a black and obtain copies of the following publica­ yellow bill, blends in well with the upper tions: canopy of the forest where it spends most Josselyn Van Tyne-The Life of the of its life. Having heard several in­ Toucan (Keel-billed). Misc. Pub. No. dividuals state that "an Emerald 19. Univ. Mich. Mus. Zool. Ann Arbor, Toucanet nested in this tree," or, "this is Michigan. the type oftree that Emerald Toucanettes Helmuth O. Wagner-Notes on the Life l~e, History ofthe Emerald Toucanet. Wilson WHITE-BREASTED " it was only last year that I finally dIscovered such a tree and nest cavity with Bull. 56:2:65-76. (Publication of the BLUE-BREASTED Wilson Ornithological Society). NORMAL COLORS the toucanettes in residence! Even with the knowledge that such birds are in a Alexander Skutch-Life History of the tree is no assurance that you will be able Collared Aracaris. Condor 60:4:201-219 to locate them. The possibility oflocating (publication of the Cooper Ornitholo­ gical Society). Herschel Frey a nest is equally as fruitless (unless you follow a bird into a cavity) as they general­ Other Toucans ... ly prefer holes with tangles of vegetation Jurgen Haffer-Avian Speciation in 1170 Firwood Dr. at the entrance. The most wide ranging of Tropical South America, with a Pittsburgh, PA. 15243 the three toucans found in Nonhern Cen­ Systematic survey of the Toucans (Ram­ (412) 561-7194 tral America, it is considered to be a bird phastidae) and Jacamars (Galbulidae). of the highlands and cloud forest, from 1974 Nuttall Ornithological Society. Southern Mexico into Costa Rica. There it $25.00 U.S.• 28.