People Are Suddenly Realizing Toucans Are Weirder Than They Thought, Share Facts About Them In A Viral Thread
When people get asked what their favorite birds are, they usually mention regal eagles, magnificent hawks, and fluffy owls. But some would argue (i.e. me) that the true king of all birds is the colorful, big-beaked toucan.
These birds are a whole other level of cool and weird, once you start reading up on them. And then there’s no climbing back out of that rabbit hole.
Did you know that toucans look very interesting when they sleep? Do you know the purpose of a toucan’s large bright beak? Have you ever imagined what a toucan’s skeleton looks like? The answers are fascinating, so scroll down, enjoy, and get ready to tell all of your friends and co-workers just how freaking awesome toucans are (and why they’re so much cooler than eagles).
Toucans are amazing birds and here are some interesting, cool, and weird facts about them
Image credits: cryptid-quartz
Image credits: prokopetz
Image credits: worriedaboutmyfern
When you hear the word ‘toucan,’ it’s very likely that what pops into the forefront of your mind is one particular genus of toucans, the Ramphastos—aka, the typical toucans. With their orange bills and black-and-white plumage, it’s hard to mistake them for any other bird. ‘Typical?’ More like fabulous.
A toucan’s bill has a network of blood vessels and the bird expands them to cool down its body temperature—just like the elephants use their big ears
Image credits: mygrapefruit
Here’s how baby toucans look
Image credits: zoogeo
Cute, right?
Image credits: Lowcrbnaman
However, there are 4 other genera of toucan, including Andigena (mountain toucans), Selenidera (dichromatic toucanets), Pteroglossus (araçaris), and Aulacorhynchus (green toucanets). Among the birds that toucans are related to are woodpeckers; however, they’re only distant relatives, so don’t expect toucans to start hammering palm trees with their bills.
A toucan’s tongue looks strangely like a feather and can be as long as 6 inches (15 centimeters)
Image credits: ThePocketGamer
Due to the sheer size of the beak, it would be sensible to think it weighs a fair amount, but actually, due to the little air holes the beak is actually quite light
Image credits: Charles J Sharp
Image credits: DR. VECTOR
Toucans get their name from the extinct language of the native Tupi people of Brazil, via Portuguese. The Tupi used to call these birds ‘tukana,’ and their name hasn’t changed much over the centuries.
An X-rayed toucan’s beak
Image credits: timmy6169
Belize has the rainbow-billed toucan as its national bird
Image credits: Andy Morffew
Image credits: Basa Roland
Image credits: Charles J Sharp
Toucans mainly eat fruit. But they are what’s called “opportunistically omnivorous” which means that they eat animals like lizards, birds, and insects that are available in order to survive. Basically, imagine that you’re a vegan, but suddenly you’re flung to a faraway carnivore planet with no fruit, vegetables, plants, or nuts, and the only sources of food are animals. You’re told that you’ll be rescued in a month’s time. You’d eat what you’d have to eat to survive until then, wouldn’t you?
People couldn’t help but make toucan-related jokes and puns
Looking at the weird beak of a Pelican I guess Toucan play that game...
COME ON BP! Give us a Report Button. We need it to get rid of pests like @JuliaLova, they have no business here.
So sleeping toucans may need to be added to my list of "adorable things to look at when I feel like I want to destroy the world when people annoy me." They are really fascinating and gorgeous creatures.
There is bone underneath the outer layer of beak, so this comparison to the rest of the skeleton isn't entirely accurate.
Mother Nature is indeed wonderful and fascinating. Let us all take care of her by living with, not against, our precious planet. Fly less. Drive less. Eat more vegs and less meat, and throw less food away. Lower the temperature inside in the winter and set it higher in the summer, and better than that, use a fan. Line dry your clothes instead of putting them in the dryer. Go solar. Use wind power. Pressure the politicians to STOP subsidizing fossil energy. It may already be too late, but at least we can still try! Live, love and care!
I've lived in an apartment next to a zoo in Brazil. At the mating season they freed the toucan and some of them landed on my window. I'd clean lots of papaya poop that time.
Aw, I'd even clean up papaya poop to see such pretty birdies outs my window. :)
Load More Replies...naw everyone. this is a toucan without a beak download-4...9c1356.jpg
Sleeping toucans are like the cutest things in the world for me right now
fun fact, they also love Guinness! https://www.shamrockgift.com/blog/guinness-toucan-vintage-advertisements/
Thanks for that! My favorite part of my trip to Dublin was visiting the Guinness factory/museum, and especially the history of Guinness marketing section... You even get a free pint at the end of the tour! Awesomeness!
Load More Replies..."A toucan’s bill has a network of blood vessels and the bird expands them to cool down its body temperature—just like the elephants use their big ears" ;-)
Load More Replies...The more I look at these birds, the more cartoonish they look.
Toucans both fascinate and horrify me. Wildly gorgeous animals but, like, 50% Beak Bird is also a monster I would imagine in a Wells novel.
I was so excited to finally see Toucans in the wild in Panama. I even got some photos!
Believe me you don't. They can be loud as hell when they get annoyed or excited. Sound like an angry bullfrog swallowed by a pig. lol
Load More Replies...Looking at the weird beak of a Pelican I guess Toucan play that game...
COME ON BP! Give us a Report Button. We need it to get rid of pests like @JuliaLova, they have no business here.
So sleeping toucans may need to be added to my list of "adorable things to look at when I feel like I want to destroy the world when people annoy me." They are really fascinating and gorgeous creatures.
There is bone underneath the outer layer of beak, so this comparison to the rest of the skeleton isn't entirely accurate.
Mother Nature is indeed wonderful and fascinating. Let us all take care of her by living with, not against, our precious planet. Fly less. Drive less. Eat more vegs and less meat, and throw less food away. Lower the temperature inside in the winter and set it higher in the summer, and better than that, use a fan. Line dry your clothes instead of putting them in the dryer. Go solar. Use wind power. Pressure the politicians to STOP subsidizing fossil energy. It may already be too late, but at least we can still try! Live, love and care!
I've lived in an apartment next to a zoo in Brazil. At the mating season they freed the toucan and some of them landed on my window. I'd clean lots of papaya poop that time.
Aw, I'd even clean up papaya poop to see such pretty birdies outs my window. :)
Load More Replies...naw everyone. this is a toucan without a beak download-4...9c1356.jpg
Sleeping toucans are like the cutest things in the world for me right now
fun fact, they also love Guinness! https://www.shamrockgift.com/blog/guinness-toucan-vintage-advertisements/
Thanks for that! My favorite part of my trip to Dublin was visiting the Guinness factory/museum, and especially the history of Guinness marketing section... You even get a free pint at the end of the tour! Awesomeness!
Load More Replies..."A toucan’s bill has a network of blood vessels and the bird expands them to cool down its body temperature—just like the elephants use their big ears" ;-)
Load More Replies...The more I look at these birds, the more cartoonish they look.
Toucans both fascinate and horrify me. Wildly gorgeous animals but, like, 50% Beak Bird is also a monster I would imagine in a Wells novel.
I was so excited to finally see Toucans in the wild in Panama. I even got some photos!
Believe me you don't. They can be loud as hell when they get annoyed or excited. Sound like an angry bullfrog swallowed by a pig. lol
Load More Replies...
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