The toucan is a generic name, derived from the Guarani tupi, used to designate the 42 species of birds of the family Ramphastidae.
Also popularly called tocos in Peru and Bolivia, pinsha in Ecuador, diostedé or deustede in Brazil.
Characteristics of the Toucan
These birds are characterized by their large beaks and plumages of various colors, in which black, blue, yellow and brown tones predominate.
The stumps can measure 30 to 65 centimeters long and weigh up to 680 grams, depending on the species.
Ana_Cotta / CC BY
Behavior
They are birds that live in a single territory throughout their lives, which makes them quite sedentary.
They are great seed dispersers; the best known of the toucans is the Ramphastos cuvieri, called pinsha in Quechua.
staphylococcus by Gabriela / CC BY-SA
Its dominant color is black, although its belly is white with a red band. Its powerful beak combines several colors: black, yellow and blue.
Food and habitat of the toucan
The toucan’s diet is based on fruits, insects, small reptiles and eggs and chicks of other birds.
Chris Parfitt CC BY
It is generally found in tropical rainforests from Mexico to northern Argentina.
Diostedé toco can be found in the Guyanas, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia, northern Argentina, Paraguay and northern Uruguay.
Preferably on the banks of rivers and lakes, it is a common bird in the Amazon River basin.
Drawing for coloring
Dr. Rafael Cartay is a Venezuelan economist, historian, and writer best known for his extensive work in gastronomy, and has received the National Nutrition Award, Gourmand World Cookbook Award, Best Kitchen Dictionary, and The Great Gold Fork. He began his research on the Amazon in 2014 and lived in Iquitos during 2015, where he wrote The Peruvian Amazon Table (2016), the Dictionary of Food and Cuisine of the Amazon Basin (2020), and the online portal delAmazonas.com, of which he is co-founder and main writer. Books by Rafael Cartay can be found on Amazon.com
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