toucan

Table of Contents

Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images & Videos

Emerald toucanet (Aulacorhynchus prasinus)

Gray-breasted mountain toucan (Andigena hypoglauca).

Keel-billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus); the bill is probably used for species recognition.

Glimpse the Amazon Rainforest's diverse wildlife, from anacondas and sloths to macaws and capybaras

For Students

toucan summary

Read Next

animal. Amphibian. Frog. Anura. Ranidae. Frog in grass.

Abundant Animals: The Most Numerous Organisms in the World

Spider monkey swinging in a tree. (primate, jungle animal)

Why Do Animals Have Tails?

Prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus) in mid-flight.

11 Questions About Birds Answered

Common, or southern, cassowary (Casuarius casuarius).

8 Birds That Can’t Fly

Hungry Pelican waiting to be fed, beak open, Australia

Why Don’t Birds Have Teeth?

Discover

Indian hijras participate in a religious procession in Gandhinagar, India, some 30 kilometers from Ahmedabad, on March 22, 2017. Hijra is a term used in South Asia which refers to transgender individuals who are born male. (gender identity, gender expression)

6 Cultures That Recognize More than Two Genders

Stylish light blue jeans on wooden background, closeup of inset pocket

Why Do Jeans Have That Tiny Pocket?

9 of the World’s Deadliest Snakes

The impeachment trial of Pres. Andrew Johnson, illustration from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, March 28, 1868.

What If the President Is Impeached?

Srinivasa Ramanujan, Indian mathematician and autodidact.

6 Interesting Facts about Srinivasa Ramanujan

What's the Difference Between a Solstice and an Equinox?

Timeline and Map of the Panama Canal

toucan

bird family

Also known as: Ramphastidae, tucano

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Related Topics:: toucanet; aracari; Andigena; Ramphastos; yellow-ridged toucan

See all related content

toucan, (family Ramphastidae), the common name given to numerous species of tropical American forest birds known for their large and strikingly coloured bills. The term toucan—derived from tucano, a native Brazilian term for the bird—is used in the common name of about 15 species (Ramphastos and Andigena), and the aracaris and toucanets are very similar smaller birds of the same family that are also considered toucans, bringing the total number of species to about 35. The largest toucans, up to 60 cm (24 inches) long, are Ramphastos species. An example common in zoos is the red-breasted (also called green-billed) toucan ...(100 of 683 words)

Access the full article

Help support true facts by becoming a member.