- Blue-throated Toucanet
Taxobox
name = Blue-throated Toucanet
status = NR
image_caption =
regnum =Animal ia
phylum =Chordata
classis =Aves
ordo =Piciformes
familia =Ramphastidae
genus = "Aulacorhynchus "
species = "A. caeruleogularis"
binomial = "Aulacorhynchus caeruleogularis"
binomial_authority = Gould, 1854
synonyms ="Aulacorhynchus prasinus caeruleogularis"The Blue-throated Toucanet, "Aulacorhynchus caeruleogularis", is a
near-passerine bird living in the mountain forests ofCosta Rica and westernPanama . While sometimes considered a species based primarily on morphology, [Navarro, A., A. Peterson, E. López-Medrano, & H. Benítez-Díaz. 2001. "Species limits in Mesoamerican Aulocorhynchus Toucanets." The Wilson Bull. 113(4): 363-372.] most authorities continue to consider it asubspecies of theEmerald Toucanet , [American Ornithologists' Union. 1998. "The AOU Checklist of North American Birds." 7th edition w. supplements. ISBN 1891276004] [Dickinson, E. 2003. "The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World." Christopher Helm. ISBN 0713665362] in which case thescientific name of the Blue-throated Toucanet is "Aulacorhynchus prasinus caeruleogularis".Description
Adult
As in all
toucan s, the Blue-throated Toucanet has a large bill. The bill isblack withyellow to the upper mandible, and awhite band at the base, but, uniquely among the Emerald Toucanet group, with a rufous patch near the base of the upper mandible. Its breast and the rest of its body is mostly light and dark shades ofgreen , except for thethroat , which isblue , and the tail-tip and crissum, which are rufous. Both sexes look very alike, but females generally have a smaller bill and overall are smaller in appearance.Immature
Immature Blue-throated Toucanets are born blind and naked. They do not open their
eye s until they are around 25day s old, and they are completely covered infeather s by around 35 days. Most immature Blue-throated Toucanet's do not leave their nest until they have reached around 45 days old. When they leave their nest, their bills are alike to their parents incolour andshape , but are not completely full-grown yet.Habitat and behaviour
The Blue-throated Toucanets live in humid mountain forests in
Costa Rica and WesternPanama . Its natural altitudinal range is from 2,500 ft (762m) to 7,600 ft (2316m) abovesea level . It is generally common within its range, but not rated byIUCN , where considered a subspecies of the Emerald Toucanet.This toucan nests in old
woodpecker holes. Thenest s can be up to 70 ft (21m) above the ground. Each nest contains 2-4 eggs,white incolour . The eggs have about a 15 day incubation period.The
bird mostly consumesfruit s andinsects , but can also eat other birds' eggs. The call of the Blue-throated Toucanet is a loud and high-pitched (occasionally low-pitched) "rrrip, rrrip, rrrip, rrrip,".Skutch, A. F. 1944. "Life History of the Blue-throated Toucanet." Wilson Bulletin 56: 133–151. [http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Wilson/v056n03/p0133-p0151.html Available online] ]ee also
*
Emerald Toucanet
*John Gould
*Aulacorhynchus External links
* [http://www.naturesongs.com/emto1.wav The Blue-throated Toucanet's call on Naturesongs.com]
* [http://www.mangoverde.org/birdsound/spec/spec102-1h.html Photos of the Blue-throated Toucanet.] MangoverdeReferences
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