Green aracari

The green aracari, or green araçari (Pteroglossus viridis), is a toucan, a near-passerine bird. It is found in the lowland forests of northeastern South America (the Guiana Shield), in the northeast Amazon Basin, the Guianas and the eastern Orinoco River drainage of Venezuela. At 30–40 cm. (12–16 in) long and weighing 110–160 grams (3.9–5.7 oz.), it is the smallest aracari in its range,[2][3] and among the smallest members of the toucan family.

Green aracari
Female at Philadelphia Zoo, Pennsylvania, USA
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Family: Ramphastidae
Genus: Pteroglossus
Species:
P. viridis
Binomial name
Pteroglossus viridis
(Linnaeus, 1766)
Synonyms
  • Pteroglossus didymus Sclater, 1890
  • Ramphastos viridis Linnaeus, 1766

Taxonomy and systematics
Males differ from females in having a black hood, but have the same characteristic bill pattern. Denver Zoo, Denver, Colorado.

The green aracari was originally classified in the genus Ramphastos. Alternate names include Sclater's Araçari. The species is named for the green feathers covering its back.

Description

Males' crowns are black, while females' are reddish brown.[4]

Behaviour and ecology

Breeding

Breeding occurs from February to June. It nests in tree cavities, producing 2–4 white eggs.[5] The parents cooperate in rearing their young.[4]

Food and feeding

Its diet consists mostly of fruit, including the fruits of Cecropia trees and the palm Oenocarpus bacaba.[5] The serrated edges of the green aracari's large bill help the bird to grip and gather fruit. Insects are also an occasional part of the diet, giving the birds protein.[4]

Pets

In captivity it is the most frequently bred member of the toucan family and is the most popular as a tame hand-fed pet. It requires a large cage and toys to prevent boredom due to its active nature, and a high-fruit diet. When all these requirements are met it is an affectionate companion for many years.

References
  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Pteroglossus viridis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Steven L. Hilty. Birds of Venezuela (Princeton Paperbacks). Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press. p. 460. ISBN 0-691-09250-8.
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-08-19. Retrieved 2007-08-18.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "Green Aracari Fact Sheet, Lincoln Park Zoo"
  5. Lester L. Short and Jennifer F. M. Horne; colour plates and line drawings by Albert Earl Gilbert (2001). Toucans, barbets and honeyguides: Ramphastidae, Capitonidae and Indicatoridae. Oxford [Oxfordshire]: Oxford University Press. pp. 370–372. ISBN 0-19-854666-1. Retrieved 2012-04-10.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)


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