Have you ever seen one of these beautiful birds? Shockingly colorful, camouflage is not their greatest skill. Marveling over their colorful beaks, chest, tail, and even their feet, you gotta wonder, what are all those colors for?
What it comes down to so many times in nature - finding a mate. The super models of the jungle showing off their colors like Gisele on a cat walk, make you croon your neck trying to get a better view. But get this - males and females look the same! They use their beak as a mating tool, but how? Maybe its size that matters.
That beautiful beak looks cumbersome as it makes up a third of the size of their bodies and when they glide through the air it appears to be weighing them down. In reality, it's very light they just aren't very good at flying so they bounce around the jungle eating the usual bird stuff like fruits and bugs using their beaks to pick and toss their treats to share with others.
Maybe that's how they find their mate - flirting through sharing. Actually it is! The male will offer a treat to a female and then they will toss it back and forth as a mating ritual - you know, like Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf.
It's not just for showing off and volleying back and forth, that beak is their air-conditioner. Filled with blood vessels and uninsulated, toucans alter their blood flow diverting warm blood to their beak to be cooled. The larger the beak - the more efficiently they can regulate their temperature so, size really DOES matter!
Being on the life list of many birders, between their loud trills, and their super model looks, toucans are not hard to find once you get to the areas where they live. If you want to hear what they sound like, click on the video below.
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Your Friends in Morrillo,
Cari and Ryan Mackey
Owners and Hosts
Morrillo Beach Eco Resort