Channel-billed Toucan (Ramphastos vitellinus)

Channel-billed toucans are a small species of toucan, measuring up to only 48 cm. They are native to the tropical forests of South America where they enjoy the bountiful and diverse variety of foods. A large bill makes them great generalists that can eat anything from fruit to eggs, insects, and even small reptiles. Young channel-billed toucans have pads on their feet to protect them while walking on the rugged and thorny forest floor while they still can’t fly. Channel-billed toucans can exist as one of three different subspecies in three different areas of South America. Areas in between the territories of the subspecies have birds with intermediate features as a result of inter-breeding along these boundaries.