Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Emerald Toucanets were not found in any of these endangered species databases. However, the importance being placed on the coffee market may someday have a negative effect of survival for this species. (Henriquez 1999).
US Migratory Bird Act: no special status
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
Emerald Toucanets have been identified as a seed disperser for several rainforest trees. Studies indicate that the germination rate of seeds of these trees is higher following the seeds passing through the digestive tract of the bird. (Wenny 2000).
Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds
Emerald Toucanets are omnivorous, eating lizards and the eggs or nestlings of other birds when possible, though insects and fruits are the largest part of their diet. (Terres 1980).
Neotropical: Emerald Toucanets, Aulacorhynchus prasinus are found abundantly in Central and South America, mostly along the eastern coast. They are sparse in the eastern-central parts of Mexico and exist more densely in the southern mountainous parts down through Costa Rica and Panama into the northernmost part of Venezuela. (Campbell 1974, USGS 2001, Peterson 1973).
Their native habitats are in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama in the higher elevation cloud forests. They have recently expanded their range into lower elevation rain forest. Emerald Toucanets will make their home at elevations from 915 m up to 3050 m (3,000 feet - 10,000 feet). They migrate vertically from lower elevation to higher elevation. (Campbell 1974, Peterson 1973, USGS 2001).
Range elevation: 915 to 3050 m.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: rainforest
Range lifespan
Status: wild: 10 (low) years.
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 11.00 years.
Range lifespan
Status: captivity: 12 to 14 years.
The male and female are monomorphic (alike) in color, but dimorphic (different) in size. The smallest of the toucans, Emerald Toucanets are commonly 30 cm. to 33 cm. (11 3/4 inches - 13 inches). The male will weigh in at about 160 g. (5.7 ounces), and the female at about 149 g. (5.3 ounces). Adults have colorfull beaks, with a definite outline of white on both; the top one colored yellow, and the bottom one colored black or dark red depending on the subspecies. Their feather coloration, dominantly green with highlights of whites, grays, and reddish browns, makes them blend in with the colors of the trees in which they dwell. (Campbell 1974, Dunning 1993, Perrins 1996, Terres 1980).
Range mass: 149 to 160 g.
Range length: 30 to 33 cm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
A Bat Falcon--once observed by a boy who helped Alexander Skutch find nests at Montana Azul--was the only predator of adult Emerald Toucanets, cited within. It is presumed snakes and other arboreal animals are also a threat, primarily to eggs or unfledged offspring. (Skutch 1983).
Mating season is typically March through July depending on the weather, as inclement weather will harm the eggs or the female during incubation. Like many species, they have a common mating practice--a sort of sparring--mostly harmless; they engage in “bill fencing” where injury does occur because of how aggressive this activity can get. This usually begins after the pair has worked at preparing a nest.
Mating System: monogamous
Three or four white eggs are typically found in a tree-hole nest located between 2 and 30 meters (7 feet - 90 feet) above ground. Each egg has an incubation period of about 16 days. Both parents participate in the incubation before hatching, and in the nesting and feeding after; but are never in the nest at the same time. The parents keep a clean nest for their altricial (not well developed) young. The chicks have no eyesight the first 16 days, and though their eyes may no longer be tightly closed at about 25 days, they remain cloudy until about 27 days. Their feathers are not at all apparent the first 20 days. At about 35 days, except for having only pink skin around their eyes and the absence of the white line on their mandibles, they appear to have full plumage--green, like the adult. They take flight as early as 40 days, at which time the feedings provided by the parents begin to decrease until such time as the young do not return to the nest at all; at about 43 days. (Campbell 1974, Skutch 1983).
Typically the Emerald Toucanet is considered to be a secondary cavity nester, appropriating previously excavated holes in trees from smaller species.This nest hole is then enlarged just enough for the adult Emerald Toucanet to get inside. The male seems to be the relief parent in nesting activities, giving the female short to extended breaks during the process of preparing the nest, cleaning the nest, and foraging and feeding the brood. While the brood is present only the female will stay throughout the night. The male relief comes throughout the day. (Campbell 1974, Skutch 1983, Toucans 1999).
Range eggs per season: 3 to 4.
Average time to hatching: 16 days.
Average fledging age: 43 days.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); oviparous
Both parents participate in the incubation before hatching, and in the nesting and feeding after; but are never in the nest at the same time. The parents keep a clean nest for their altricial (not well developed) young.
Parental Investment: altricial ; male parental care ; female parental care
The emerald toucanet (Aulacorhynchus prasinus) is a species of near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found from Mexico to Nicaragua.[2]
The emerald toucanet was originally described in the genus Pteroglossus. For many years it was treated as having at least 14 subspecies. In 2008 the International Ornithological Committee (IOC) split 10 of those subspecies to create seven new species and retained four of them as subspecies of their current emerald toucanet sensu stricto. BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) concurred. Some of the seven have since been merged resulting in the current (2022) Wagler's toucanet (A. wagleri), blue-throated toucanet (A. caeruleogularis), white-throated toucanet (A. albivitta), and black-throated toucanet ( atrogularis) in addition to the emerald toucanet.
However, the North and South American Classification Committees of the American Ornithological Society and the Clements taxonomy declined to follow them. In 2017 they did split the emerald toucanet into two species, the northern (A. prasinus) and southern (A. albivitta) emerald-toucanets, each with seven subspecies. They treat the IOC's "emerald toucanet" as four subspecies of the northern emerald-toucanet.[3][4][2][5][6][7][8]
Four subspecies of emerald toucanet are recognized by the IOC and HBW:[2][5]
Like other toucans, the emerald toucanet is brightly marked and has a large bill. Adults are 29 to 37 cm (11 to 15 in) long and weigh about 150 to 240 g (5.3 to 8.5 oz). The sexes are alike in appearance although the female generally is smaller and shorter-billed. Their bill has a black mandible, a yellow maxilla with a black patch near the nares, and a white vertical strip at its base. All subspecies have plumage that is mainly green like that of other members of genus Aulacorhynchus, and is somewhat lighter below than above. The nominate's crown has a bronze tinge and its nape and upper back a yellowy bronze tint. Their eye is dark brown surrounded by even darker bare skin. Their lower face and throat are white. Their flanks are bright yellow-green to green-yellow and their undertail coverts and the underside of the tail are chestnut. The base of their tail's upper surface is green becoming blue towards the end and the tips of the feathers are chestnut. Subspecies A. p. warneri has a yellowish wash on its throat and some yellow on the face. A. p. virescens is slightly smaller than the nominate. It has a yellower face and throat, more yellow on the flanks, and darker chestnut tips on the tail feathers. A. p. volcanius is similar to the nominate but paler overall and slightly smaller. Immatures are grayer than adults and the chestnut of the tail tips is browner and smaller.[9]
The subspecies of emerald toucanet are found thus:[9][8]
The emerald toucanet primarily inhabits humid montane forest but is also found in more open landscapes like secondary forest, shrublands, pastures, and plantations. In elevation it ranges from near sea level to at least 3,000 m (9,800 ft).[9][1]
The emerald toucanet is non-migratory.[9]
The emerald toucanet is gregarious and frequently gathers in groups of up to about 10.[9]
The emerald toucanet forages by gleaning, usually while perched. Its diet is eclectic and includes a wide variety of fruits, invertebrates of many orders, and vertebrate prey such as birds, eggs, lizards, and snakes.[9]
The emerald toucanet's breeding season is from March to July. It nests in tree cavities, either natural or those abandoned by woodpeckers. They can be as high as 27 m (89 ft) above the ground. The typical clutch size is three or four but can range from one to five. Both sexes incubate the eggs but the female does so more than the male. The incubation period is 16 days and fledging occurs 42 to 45 days after hatch.[9]
The emerald toucanet's call is "a nasal, barking Wok!-Wok!-Wok!-Wok!-Wok!-Wok!-Wok!...". It also makes "a growling, throaty wra'a'a'a'a'a'ak".[10]
The IUCN has assessed the emerald toucanet as being of Least Concern. It has a very large range but its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing. No immeditate threats have been identified.[1] However, it "is vulnerable to habitat destruction".[9]
The emerald toucanet is a popular pet toucan. It is affectionate when hand-fed and loves to play and interact with its owner. Emerald toucanets are as quick to learn tricks as cockatoos. They are active and need a large cage for their size, including perches that they can hop back and forth on. They also require a high-fruit diet, without which they are susceptible to a disease of excessive iron storage that is similar to hemochromatosis in humans.
The emerald toucanet (Aulacorhynchus prasinus) is a species of near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found from Mexico to Nicaragua.
