Groove-billed Toucanet
Encyclopedia
The Groove-billed Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus sulcatus) is a species of bird
in the Ramphastidae family. It is found in mountains of northern Colombia
and northern Venezuela
. Its natural habitat
is subtropical and upper tropical humid forest and woodland, occasionally also occurring in gardens. It includes the Yellow-billed Toucanet (A. sulcatus calorhynchus), which is sometimes considered a separate species.
Aulacorhynchus
, mainly green. The throat is white (or pale bluish in the subspecies
A. s. erythrognathus) and the ocular skin is blue. The bill
is black with maroon markings, but the maroon is replaced by yellow in A. s. calorhynchus. This distinctive subspecies, which is found in the western part of the species' range
, is sometimes considered a separate species, the Yellow-billed Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus calorhynchus, Gould
, 1874), but it is vocally similar to the other subspecies and hybrids are known from the region where it comes into contact with A. s. sulcatus. Genetic
evidence suggests they should remain as subspecies of a single species.
It is generally fairly common in its range, and therefore considered Least Concern
by BirdLife International
. It occurs in several protected areas such as the Henri Pittier National Park
in Venezuela.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Ramphastidae family. It is found in mountains of northern Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and northern Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
is subtropical and upper tropical humid forest and woodland, occasionally also occurring in gardens. It includes the Yellow-billed Toucanet (A. sulcatus calorhynchus), which is sometimes considered a separate species.
Description
It has a total length ca. 35 centimetres (13.8 in) and it weighs 150–200 g (5.3–7.1 oz). It is, as other members of the genusGenus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Aulacorhynchus
Aulacorhynchus
The green toucanets are near-passerine birds from the genus Aulacorhynchus in the toucan family. They are native to Mexico, and Central and South America. All are found in humid forests and woodlands in highlands, but a few also occur in adjacent lowlands. They are relatively small toucans, ...
, mainly green. The throat is white (or pale bluish in the subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
A. s. erythrognathus) and the ocular skin is blue. The bill
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
is black with maroon markings, but the maroon is replaced by yellow in A. s. calorhynchus. This distinctive subspecies, which is found in the western part of the species' range
Range (biology)
In biology, the range or distribution of a species is the geographical area within which that species can be found. Within that range, dispersion is variation in local density.The term is often qualified:...
, is sometimes considered a separate species, the Yellow-billed Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus calorhynchus, Gould
John Gould
John Gould was an English ornithologist and bird artist. The Gould League in Australia was named after him. His identification of the birds now nicknamed "Darwin's finches" played a role in the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection...
, 1874), but it is vocally similar to the other subspecies and hybrids are known from the region where it comes into contact with A. s. sulcatus. Genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
evidence suggests they should remain as subspecies of a single species.
It is generally fairly common in its range, and therefore considered Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern is an IUCN category assigned to extant taxon or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, Near Threatened, or Conservation Dependent...
by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
. It occurs in several protected areas such as the Henri Pittier National Park
Henri Pittier National Park
Henri Pittier National Park was created in 1937 and is the oldest of Venezuela's national parks. It is famous for its birdlife. Its eco-systems vary with altitude....
in Venezuela.
External links
- Groove-billed Toucanet on the Internet Bird Collection
- Photo-High Res; Article tropicalbirding.com
- Groove-billed Toucanet photo gallery VIREO
