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[[image: channelbilltoucan.jpg ]]

'''Common Name:''' Channel-billed Toucan

'''Scientific Name:''' Ramphastos vitellinus culminatus

'''Size:''' 19 inches (48.3 cm)

'''Habitat:''' South America. Found in lowland forests, often near bodies of water, successional forest, transitional forest and terra firme forest; also in forest openings.  In Guiana and Venezuela; gallery forest and tropical wet forests and subtropical forests

'''Status:''' Least Concern. '''Global Population:''' unknown.

'''Diet:''' Fruit as well as insects, small vertebrates and eggs.

'''Nesting:'''  Sexes alike but female has shorter bill. Immature birds are overall duller, teeth absent. It should be noted that there are several 'subspecies' with slight coloration differences. 

Courtship feeding occurs in the beginning of the nesting season which is from March-July. Nest cavities are usually high in a tree in a rotten or hollowed knot-hole, or an abandoned woodpecker hole, and are usually used the next year if successful.  Entrance holes are roughly 6x5cm but can be up to 10cm, with a depth of 30-45cm deep and lined with regurgitated seeds by the adults. Both parents roost in the cavity. 

2-4 white, elliptical eggs are laid, and incubated for 16-18 days by both parents. Hatchlings eyes won’t open for about 15-20 days.  Young are fed animal food such as insects and small vertebrates by both parents.  At week three, pin feathers appear on young and, after six more weeks, they are well feathered. Fledging generally occurs around day 40.

'''Cool Facts:'''  Found singly, in pairs, or small flocks of up to 15, visiting fruiting trees.  Stays mainly in the canopy and sub canopy but will descend all the way to the ground on occasion for fallen fruits or insects. They stalk vertebrates such as lizards, small birds and their eggs or nestlings and also mob monkeys or predators.


'''Found in [http://hivewire3d.com/songbird-remix-toucans.html Songbird ReMix Toucans]'''