View source

[[Image:GouldsToucanet.JPG]]

'''Common Name:''' Gould's Toucanet<br>  
'''Scientific Name:''' Selenidera gouldii   

'''Size:''' 14 inches (35 cm)

'''Habitat:''' South America. The Gould's Toucanet is found south of the Amazon across Brazil to northeast Bolivia. A disjunct population exists in Serra de Baturité in the Brazilian satte of Ceará (Caatinga). 

They inhabit terra firme forest for the most part, but may visit seasonally flooded areas, second growth, and gallery forests within the northern Cerrado region.

'''Status:''' Least Concern. '''Global Population:''' Unknown amount, but numbers appears to be decreasing. Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion.

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

'''Nesting:''' The male Gould's Toucan's plumage below is black, as is his crown and nape. These areas are chestnut-colored in the female.

As part of the courtship display, the male Gould's Toucan flies skyward with his tail cocked, then drops down while uttering a series of frog-like croaks. This display is repeated several times for a few minutes. The pair may also throw fruit to one another. 

Like all of their other activities, nesting happens high up in hollow areas in trees. The bill is not effective for digging or any other type of extensive excavation work and so they must rely on holes already formed by other means. 

The nests are not lined, but the two to four shiny white eggs that are laid each year rest on a few wood chips created while enlarging the opening or on various kinds of regurgitated seeds collected for this purpose. Parents share equally in incubation duties, but rarely sit on the nest for more than an hour at a time and the eggs are often left uncovered. Both parents share in feeding fruit to the babies for up to 8 weeks. 

After 16 days the nestlings are born blind, with no trace of down on their pink skin. The bill is unremarkable until about 16 days old when it takes on the distinguishing features of the toucan, and requires up to four months to develop fully. Feathers begin to expand at 4 weeks. 

Babies have pads on their elbows that protect their feet by keeping them elevated until they fledge.

Breeding in captivity requires attention to a number of details. Even successful breeders report rates as low as 30% for the incubation of eggs.

'''Cool Facts:'''  The Gould's Toucanet resembles the Spot-billed Toucanet, except for the bill-pattern. Its vocalizations are described as slow-paced, grunting calls.