Keel-billed Toucan

Ramphastos sulfuratus

eBird provides this description of the Keel-billed Toucan:  Large unmistakable toucan with a huge, rainbow-colored bill. Often seen in pairs, but not usually in groups like aracaris. Flies with a few flaps followed by a swooping glide, sometimes high over the forest canopy, and looks like a ‘flying banana.’ Heard more often than seen: ‘song’ is a far-carrying, frog-like croak, repeated steadily. Despite its large size and bright colors, can be difficult to see in leafy canopy, where it moves deliberately in search of food.  Birds of the World gives this additional introductory information:  The Keel-billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) occurs in tropical lowland evergreen and secondary forests from southern Mexico, where it is the only large toucan, south through Central America to northern Colombia and extreme northwestern Venezuela. In a large part of its range, it overlaps with the “Chestnut-mandibled Toucan” (Ramphastos ambiguus swainsonii).  Its bizarrely patterned green, orange, red, and blue bill is diagnostic.  It feeds largely on fruit, but also consumes arthropods and small vertebrates.

I saw my first Keel-billed Toucan on the afternoon of Friday, February 3, 2023, at Guayabo National Monument in Costa Rica.  I was visiting the park with Rigo of Oropopo Tours, and we spotted the Toucan from the path at the main archaeological site in the park.  Although this glorious bird was quite a distance from the path and well hidden, we got a good look at him, and it was quite a thrill!  I hope you enjoy my photos.  To see my blog that includes my visit to Guayabo and meeting this bird, look here.