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Toucan Facts & Worksheets

Toucans are large-billed colorful birds native to Central and South America’s tropical forests, in the family Ramphastidae.

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Toucans are large-billed colorful birds native to Central and South America’s tropical forests, in the family Ramphastidae. Due to their unique appearance and bright colours, toucans are one of the world’s most recognizable birds.

See the fact file below for more information on the toucans or alternatively, you can download our 25-page Toucan worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

TAXONOMY

  • The term toucan is derived from Tucano, a native Brazilian term for bird.
  • There are approximately 42 recognized species that are subdivided into five (5) genera: Aulacorhynchus (green toucanets), Pteroglossus (aracari, Selenidera (dichromatic toucanets), Andigena (mountain toucans), and Ramphastos (typical toucans).

CHARACTERISTICS

  • Toucans vary in size, ranging from 12 inches (30 cm) to around 2 feet (60 cm) in length, and 0.25 pounds (0.113 kg) to 1.5 pounds (0.680 kg) in weight. The average adult Toucan weighs just under a pound.
  • The toucan’s body is short and compact, covered with black feathers, from its back to its tail. Its chest and underparts, on the other hand, are bright and colorful. The legs of the toucan are strong and short, having four claws: two on the front and two on the back, allowing them to cling on branches and balance on trees.
  • With colors ranging from black to bright or multicolored and measuring about eight (8) inches long, the toucan’s large protruding bill is its most distinguishing feature. It is lightweight, composed of a thick outer covering of Keratin with an intricate inner network of Trabeculae.
  • Aside from attracting potential mates, making nest holes in trees, and tearing fruit apart, its bill is also useful in scaring away predators or animals that might compete with them for food.
  • Toucans do fly, but they don’t have very big wings; they prefer to glide or hop around.
  • They make loud croaking noises and high-pitched squealing sounds.

DIET

  • The toucan diet is frugivorous and systematically omnivorous. Toucans use their beaks to peel and eat different kinds of fruits but will take prey such as insects, smaller birds, frogs, rodents, and small lizards.
  • Toucans are known to reach deep into tree cavities to grab eggs from other birds and prefer to feed animals to their chicks.
  • They get most of their water from the fruits they eat.

HABITAT

  • In order to fit and sleep in tree holes, they roll up into balls with their beaks tucked and tails flipped up.
  • Toucans find old woodpecker nests or places where branches have fallen off to use as homes. They don’t make their own tree holes.
  • They are lazy birds and like to stay in one place; they don’t migrate, unlike other birds.

REPRODUCTION

  • Toucans are monogamous and breed only during Spring. During mating, pairs toss fruits to one another, a sign of courtship. Depending on the species, some lay a single egg, while others lay up to five eggs. Both parents take turns incubating their eggs for sixteen (16) days to six (6) weeks (based on species).
  • Toucan chicks are born with bare skin and their eyes closed. They open their eyes and start to grow feathers at around three weeks old. Babies only leave their nests after eight (8) weeks.

BEHAVIOR

  • Toucans are highly social and super smart. They love to play but they are not great at learning tricks. Some of their favorite activities are bonking beaks in playful jousts with flockmates, and hunting for games to play.
  • They are very noisy and the sounds they make are very similar to a croaking frog. They use their loud voices to warn others and attempt to scare away predators.
  • Jaguars, eagles, hawks, and owls are the natural predators of the toucan.

Toucan Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the toucans across 25 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Toucan worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the toucans which are large-billed colorful birds native to Central and South America’s tropical forests, in the family Ramphastidae. Due to their unique appearance and bright colours, toucans are one of the world’s most recognizable birds.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Toucan Facts
  • Toucanatomy
  • Useful Bills
  • Toucan Quiz
  • Word Search
  • Family of Toucans
  • Toucan or False
  • Toucan Maze
  • Save the Forests
  • What is a Toucan?
  • Color My Toucan

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Link will appear as Toucan Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, September 17, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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