Toucans are a bird that, when you see one, makes you think it came from a cartoon world. People are often unaware of toucans’ remarkable abilities and incredible behavior. Let’s explore 10 amazing facts about toucans that will truly surprise you.
Table of Contents
1. That Huge Beak Is Surprisingly Lightweight
Whenever you look at a toucan’s beak, you will be forced to think about how it can lift such a large beak. It must be heavy, but in fact, their beaks are not heavy; they are very lightweight. Their beaks are also made of the same material(keratin) that human fingernails are made of.
2. They Use Their Beaks to Control Body Temperature
If you look at this bird’s beak, it looks completely different from the beaks of other birds. You will be forced to wonder why their beak is like that. The main reason for the structure of their beak is to control the temperature of their body. It works like an air conditioner. Whenever their body temperature is high, blood flows into their beak, which lowers their body temperature. And if their body temperature is low, blood circulates through their beak to their body, which warms their body temperature.
3. They Are Surprisingly Good Flyers
You will be surprised to know that despite having such a large beak, these are very good flyers. Although their flight is short, they fly with great strength.
4. They Are Mostly Fruit Lovers
Toucans eat mostly fruit and move from one place to another, which makes them play an important role in dispersing seeds in the rainforest. They eat any fruit available at that time
5. Diet Of Toucans
Toucans are not limited to fruits, but it also eats eggs and other insects.
6. They Are Social Birds
These birds do not like to be alone, but rather they prefer to live in small flocks, playing with each other and making noise all day long.
7. Their Calls Are Loud and Frog-Like
These birds do not call like other birds, but rather have a sound similar to that of a frog. Their voices are loud, which also helps them communicate with each other in the forest.
8. They Sleep in a Very Cute Way
When toucans sleep, they hide their beaks under their wings and cover their heads with their tails, which keeps them warm and protects them from predators.
9. They Can Live Up to 20 Years
These birds can live for 15 to 20 years in the wild, but if they are given the right environment, they can live for more than 20 years.
10. They Don’t Build Their Own Nests
These birds do not build their own nests, but rather prefer to live in natural tree holes or in the nests of other birds, such as woodpeckers.
Final Thoughts
After reading this article, you have learned a lot about toucans and when you see them next time, you will know a lot about them such as how it works to disperse seeds, how heavy its beak is, and how important it is in the ecosystem.
FAQS
Q.1 What do toucans eat?
Ans. These birds likes to eat fruit very much. If they do not have fruit available, they also eat crickets and other insects.
Q.2. Where do toucans live?
Ans. They live in the rainforests of Central and South America.
Q.3. How many types of toucans are?
Ans. There are 40 types of toucans.
Q.4. Can we keep the toucans as a pet bird?
Ans. No, toucans are wild birds so we can not keep them as a pet bird.
