Basic Information
Scientific classification
- Chinese name: Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan
- Scientific name: Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, Andigena hypoglauca
- Classification: Climbing birds
- Family and genus: Toucanidae, order Toucanidae, genus Toucan
Vital signs data
- Body length: No verification information available.
- Weight: No verification information available.
- Lifespan: No verification data available.
Significant features
Distribution and Habitat
The Grey-breasted Toucan is found in South America (including Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and the Falkland Islands).
Appearance
The Grey-breasted Toucan somewhat resembles a hornbill in appearance, with an extremely large but lighter beak. The beak has serrated edges and vibrant colors. Its plumage is also richly colored, with predominantly black. The beak is about one-third the length of its body and resembles a knife. The beak is very beautiful, with the upper half red and the lower half black, and the base half yellowish-red.
The Grey-breasted Toucan has a very bright plumage, with a bluish-green breast, a jet-black back, and a golden-yellow rump, creating a harmonious and colorful picture.
Despite its large beak, the Grey-breasted Toucan weighs less than 30 grams. Its beak structure is unique; it's not a dense solid but rather a thin shell with fine fibers running through it. This porous, sponge-like tissue, filled with air, allows it to feel no pressure whatsoever.
Detailed introduction
The Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, scientifically known as *Andigena hypoglauca*, has two subspecies and is a medium-sized climbing bird.
The Grey-breasted Toucan is a gregarious bird that prefers to perch in the treetops; it is also one of the noisiest forest birds, capable of producing a booming, horn-like, and piercing screeching sound. Its nest is built high in tree cavities. When eating, it first pecks at its food with the tip of its beak, then tilts its neck back, tosses the food upwards, and then opens its large beak to accurately swallow the food, avoiding the time spent swallowing through its long beak. This bird is omnivorous, feeding on fruits, seeds, and insects, and sometimes raids nests of smaller birds, eating the eggs and chicks.
The Grey-breasted Toucan nests in tree cavities. It lays 2-4 eggs at a time. The smooth, white eggs are laid in an unlined cavity and incubate for about 16 days. The chicks hatch naked and take at least 3 weeks to open their eyes. They begin their lives about 45 days after hatching.
Protect wild animals and ban the consumption of wild game.
Maintaining ecological balance is everyone's responsibility!
