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Toco Toucan


Toco Toucan
Photo Information
Copyright: James Parker (Jamesp) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1369 W: 9 N: 6334] (18906)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2010-02-23
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 1D Mark II, Canon 70-200 f 2.8 L USM
Exposure: f/4.5, 1/500 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2010-02-26 8:49
Viewed: 5150
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hello everyone. I took this shot a few days ago at a very cold Bronx Zoo. The bird house was one of the few warm places and I found this Toco Toucan destroying a pandanus palm. I have seen this species many times in the wild, but never managed to get a good shot.

The Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco) is the largest and arguably best known species in the toucan family. It is found in semi-open habitats throughout a large part of central and eastern South America.

The Toco Toucan has a striking plumage with a mainly black body, a white throat, chest and uppertail-coverts, and red undertail-coverts. What appears to be a blue iris is actually thin blue skin around the eye. This blue skin is surrounded by another ring of bare, orange skin. The most noticeable feature, however, is its huge bill, which is yellow-orange, tending to deeper reddish-orange on its lower sections and culmen, and with a black base and large spot on the tip. It looks heavy, but as in other toucans it is relatively light because the inside largely is hollow. The tongue is nearly as long as the bill and very flat. With a total length of 55-65 cm (22-26 in), incl. a bill that measures almost 20 cm (8 in), and a weight of 500-860 g (17.5-30 oz), it is the largest species of toucan and the largest representative of the order Piciformes. The average Toco Toucan is 700 grams. Males are larger than females, but otherwise both are alike. Juveniles are duller and shorter-billed than adults. Its voice consists of a deep, coarse croaking, often repeated every few seconds. It also has a rattling call and will bill-clack.

It occurs in northern and eastern Bolivia, extreme south-eastern Peru, northern Argentina, eastern and central Paraguay, eastern and southern Brazil (excluding southern Rio Grande do Sul, the dry regions dominated by Caatinga vegetation and coastal regions between Ceará and Rio de Janeiro). Other disjunct populations occur along the lower Amazon River (Ilha de Marajó west approximately to the Madeira River), far northern Brazil in Roraima, and coastal regions of the Guianas. It only penetrates the Amazon in relatively open areas (e.g. along river corridors). It is resident, but local movements may occur.

BRONX ZOO
The Bronx Zoo is a zoo located within the Bronx Park in the Bronx borough of New York City. The largest metropolitan zoo in the United States, it comprises 265 acres (107 ha) of park lands and naturalistic habitats, through which the Bronx River flows. The Bronx Zoo is south of the New York Botanical Garden.
matatur, roges, nglen, KOMSIS, maurydv, horias, zulfu, siggi, CeltickRanger, boreocypriensis, xTauruSx, tuslaw, anemone has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Such an impressive portrait of this Toucan James, the environment is artificial, but it does not remove anything from the huge billed bird's unique beauty. By the way I always wonder how these toucans keep their balance while in flight!
Cheers,
Mehmet

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2010-02-26 9:04]

Hi James,the timing was decisive for the beauty of your pic,i like a lot this curious position...the beauty of the tucan and the very good sharpness and colors,and wasn't easy in this bad backlight!! My greats compliments,have a nice weekend,Luciano

  • Great 
  • roges Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 957 W: 0 N: 1329] (6264)
  • [2010-02-26 9:12]

Hi James,
again an interesting image and very well played.
Excellent POV, congratulations. Beautiful details and colors.
A bird that always fascinated me and I liked very much.
Greetings,
Adrian

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2883 W: 30 N: 9683] (36145)
  • [2010-02-26 9:25]

Hi James. Some times we have to go to places like this if we want to see some birds close up. You were able to get a fine close up showing all of its markings and colours. WEll taken with interesting notes. TFS.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2010-02-26 9:32]

Hello James,
A well know bird to me. I've seen it in Brazil (photo on TN). Good photo in good sharpness, POV and natural colours.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • KOMSIS Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 820 W: 0 N: 2419] (10674)
  • [2010-02-26 10:02]

Hi James,
What a lovely bird and composition ...
Natural colors and excellent detail.
Have a nice weekend,
Seyfi

Hello James,
a very good portrait of the Toco Toucan taken in a fantastic pose, fine detail and splendid natural colours, well composed.
TFS
Have a good weekend.
Ciao Maurizio

  • Great 
  • horias Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 837 W: 58 N: 2084] (11033)
  • [2010-02-26 10:06]

Hi James
Great capture this Toco Toucan bird.
Details are lovely.
I like that!
Horia

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer [C: 685 W: 0 N: 2] (43)
  • [2010-02-26 13:36]

Hello James, amazing close-up shot of this pretty bird with nice composition and POV. Great natural colours too.
TFS and G's,
Mehmet

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3097 W: 109 N: 12399] (52850)
  • [2010-02-26 13:36]

Hello James.
Great and clear capture. Excellent detail all over, along with vibrant colors! Bravo! Best regards Siggi

hello James

excellent photo of this Toco Toucan on action with his big beak,
fine POV, appropriate framing, fine focus sharpness and details of the
foreground with beautiful different colour tones of this exotic bird, TFS

Asbed

Ciao James, splendid Tucano in great pose, fantastic colors, wonderful details and superb sharpness, very well done, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2791 W: 0 N: 6696] (25839)
  • [2010-02-28 0:14]

Hi James,
what a lovely toucan you presented here. I make me remember the story my teacher told me..Me too Can.
Very nice colours and very lovely action .
Very specail composition of colours and style.

Regards,
Foozi

Hi Bro James,

Very high quality work with this lovely huge-billed beauty.
TFS and have a nice Sunday!
Cheers,

Bayram

Hello James,
Lovely and great shot of this beautiful Toco Toucan. The pose is lovely.
TFS and regards,
Deniz

  • Great 
  • tuslaw Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2754 W: 282 N: 4931] (19883)
  • [2010-03-01 20:44]

Hello James,
A great shot of a bird that I have never seen in the wild. I was in Brazil a few years ago and was told that they have them, but I never spotted one. Thanks for posting this beautiful image for all to enjoy viewing.
Ron

Hi James. Another excellent POV for this huge-billed bird, very good composed with nice colors.
TFS and Kind regards,
Özgür

Hello James,
You have captured this shot very well with an excellent POV & details of the subject. Thanks for sharing.
Regards-Subhash

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