Bianca Pena ENG 101 Library Assignment                              The toucan is a medium-sized bird native to the  rain forests of central and South America and the Caribbean. There are more than 40 different species of toucan that inhabit the South American jungles today. Known for it's large colorful beak that despite it's large size, is surprisingly light due to the fact that it is made of a substance called keratin (the same substance that makes up the nails and hair of many animals including humans) . The toucan's beak measures around half the toucans body length and is used for mating, feeding and defense purposes. The toucan's bill however, is not particularly strong and so it is used more to intimidate predators rather than to fight them off.             The toucan only has small wings as it dwells in forests and therefore do not need to travel large distances. The toucan's wingspan is roughly the same length as the toucans body. Although the toucan is able to fly, the toucan is not very good at flying and cannot be in the air for very long. Instead of using their wings to get around, the toucan hops between the tree branches using it curved toes and sharp claws to get a good grip on the narrow surface that it holds on to. Toucans are omnivorous birds and feed on a mixture of plants and animals. Toucans eat fruits, berries, nuts and seeds along with eggs, insects and small mammals and reptiles. The primary source of food for the toucan is the fruit which grows on the trees where the toucan lives.           Toucans have a number of predators in the South American jungle including humans, large birds of prey and wild cats. Weasels, snakes and rats tend to prey more on the eggs of the toucan rather than the toucan itself (many small animals are generally intimidated by the toucan's large bill). Although toucans are generally solitary when feeding, toucans often live in small groups of around 6 or 7birds. The bright colors of the toucan give the toucan camouflage in the colorful rainforest canopy. However, due to their bright colors, toucans are often captured and sold as pets with toucans being popular animals in the exotic pet trade. Toucans build their nest in trees in lay around 3 eggs. When the toucan chicks hatch, both the male toucan and the female toucan help to feed them and protect them from predators. The toucan chicks are born with small beaks that don't reach their full size for at least a few months.   John Gould: The Family of Toucans by Jonathan Elphick Big-billed technicolor marvels John Gould’s toucans are arguably the most striking and dramatic bird illustrations ever published. Gould (1804–1881), one of the most prolific ornithological artists of the 19th century, had a romantic enthusiasm for winged creatures, as well as a passion for natural history and a impulse to catalog. Drawing on his outstanding scientific and artistic talents, he embarked on a series of projects that would eventually make him the leading publisher of ornithological illustrations in Victorian Britain. Gould’s unparalleled career spanned five decades, during which he produced a series of books depicting birds from all over the world. Jonathan Elphick is a British natural history author, editor, consultant, researcher and lecturer, specializing in ornithology. His many books include an acclaimed historical survey of ornithological illustration, Birds: The Art of Ornithology. Based in London, he is a Scientific Fellow of the Zoological Society of London and a Fellow of the Linnea Society of London.                                   The Toucan by Shel Silverstein                                                   Tell me who can                                                   Catch a toucan?                                                   Lou can.                                                   Just how few can                                                   Ride the toucan?                                                   Two can.                                                  What kind of goo can                                                  Stick you to the toucan?                                                  Glue can.                                                  Who can write some                                                  More about the toucan?                                                  You can!                                The reason why I chose Toucans as my Theme:                  One of the animals that caught my attention the most is the Toucan. I believe that everything about them is interesting.  The way they move, the kind of food they eat, and the most important thing is that Toucans are well known for their big and colorful bills. Toucans use their beaks to pluck and peel fruit, their main source of food. In addition, the beak houses a flat tongue of the same length, which helps the toucan catch insects, frogs, and reptiles.

 Moreover, as I was reading about Toucans I found some important fact that might be helpful to get to know Toucans' lifestyle better:

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• Their bright colorful markings provide them with excellent camouflage in the rainforest.
• Toucans live in flocks made up of approximately five to six birds.
• They build their nest in tree hollows created by other animals; generally in the rainforest canopy.
• Toucans are omnivorous (eat both plants and animals). Their main food source is fruit which is plentiful in the rainforest trees where they live. They also consume eggs, insects, reptiles, small animals, and nuts.
• Their predators in the South American rainforest are generally large birds and wild cats. Other animals such as snakes and rodents may go after adult toucans but prefer to feed on their eggs.
• They have small wings that do not allow it to fly very far. This is not a problem for the Toucan because it does not need to travel far. It hops around the rainforest trees and may fly very short distances to obtain food.
• Toucans have sharp strong claws which enable it to hold tightly onto branches.
• Due to their beauty toucans are often captured and sold as pets.
• Toucans are born very small and do not reach their full size for many months. During this time both the mother and father protect it from predators.
• Toucans are not considered an endangered species. The rapid rate of the destruction of rainforests has pushed many animals to the brink of extinction.