The black-billed mountain toucan is a species of bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
Region
Northern Andes
Typical Environment
Occurs in humid montane and cloud forests of the Andes from western Venezuela through Colombia and Ecuador into northern Peru. It favors mature mossy forest, edges, and fruiting trees in the mid to upper canopy. The species also uses secondary forest and forested ravines where fruit availability is high. Local elevational movements may occur following fruiting phenology, but long-distance migration is not typical.
Altitude Range
1,800–3,200 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The black-billed mountain toucan is a high-Andean frugivore that helps disperse seeds of many cloud-forest trees, making it important for forest regeneration. It travels in pairs or small family groups through the canopy and is often detected by its far-carrying yelps. Like other toucans, it nests in tree cavities and uses its long bill to deftly pluck fruit.
Feeding on fruits in Colombia
Temperament
wary canopy-dweller, generally calm but alert
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with undulating, tree-to-tree flights
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family groups, sometimes loosely associating with mixed-species flocks around fruiting trees. Nests in natural tree cavities; both sexes likely share incubation and chick-feeding duties. Territorial vocal duets are common during the breeding season.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are loud, far-carrying yelps and barking notes delivered in series. Calls often rise and fall in tempo and are used for contact between mates and group members across the canopy.
Plumage
Glossy, mostly dark bluish to slate underparts with olive-green upperparts, contrasted by a chestnut rump and reddish undertail coverts. Throat and upper breast show bluish tones, with subtle pale edging near the throat. The bill is long, laterally compressed, and predominantly black.
Diet
Primarily consumes a wide variety of forest fruits and berries, especially from laurels and other canopy trees. Supplements its diet with insects and other small animal prey, and will occasionally take eggs or nestlings. Its feeding behavior makes it an important seed disperser across Andean cloud forests.
Preferred Environment
Feeds mainly in the mid to upper canopy, visiting fruiting trees along ridges, forest edges, and gaps. Will descend slightly in cooler hours to forage along forest edges and tall secondary growth.
