The yellow-eared toucanet is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found from Honduras to Ecuador.
Region
Central America to the Chocó of Colombia and northwest Ecuador
Typical Environment
It inhabits humid evergreen lowland and foothill forests, favoring mature primary forest but also using well-developed secondary growth and forest edges with fruiting trees. Birds typically forage in the midstory to canopy and along ridges, stream corridors, and fruiting fig and palm trees. It occurs on Caribbean slopes from Honduras through Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, and on the Pacific slope in western Colombia south to northwestern Ecuador. It requires large trees with natural cavities for nesting.
Altitude Range
100–1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The yellow-eared toucanet is a small toucan of humid forests from Honduras to northwestern Ecuador. Males and females look quite different: males show the namesake bright yellow ear patch, while females have a browner head. It plays an important role as a seed disperser for many rainforest trees by swallowing fruit whole. Despite a fairly wide range, it is sensitive to forest loss and fragmentation.
Temperament
secretive and wary in dense canopy
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between perches; strong but brief canopy flights
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family groups, sometimes joining mixed-species flocks at fruiting trees. Nests in tree cavities, often reusing natural holes or old woodpecker cavities. Pairs are presumed monogamous, and both sexes participate in feeding the young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Its vocalizations are clear, high-pitched whistles given in spaced series, often as duets between mates. It also produces soft croaks and rattling notes when agitated or moving with a group.
Plumage
Male mostly black on head and underparts with olive-green upperparts and a striking bright yellow ear patch; bill bicolored with contrasting pale horn and darker markings. Female is strongly dimorphic with a brownish head and throat, duller ear area, and similar olive-green upperparts. Both sexes show chestnut tones on the undertail coverts and a narrow pale band at the vent.
Diet
Primarily frugivorous, taking a wide variety of soft fruits, figs, and palm drupes, which it swallows whole and later disperses as seeds. It supplements its diet with insects and other arthropods, and occasionally small vertebrates or eggs. Feeding is often deliberate, moving branch to branch to reach fruit clusters.
Preferred Environment
Forages mainly in the midstory and canopy of mature forest and along edges with fruiting trees. Frequently visits fruiting figs and palms, sometimes joining other frugivores at abundant food sources.
