Friday, April 9, 2010

Costa Rica Bird...Part 4

My entry for Bird Photography Weekly #85 Please click on my link ot see more.
I was lucky to see three different toucans while in Costa Rica. This Keel Billed Toucan showed up in a tree while I was looking at a red Summer Tanager. The Keel Billed Toucan ranges in length from 17-22 inches. Their colorful bill averages 5-6 inches of its length. Wikipedia states that the bill is large and cumbersome but is actually spongy hollow bone covered in a keratin a very light and hard protein. They mainly eat fruit, but will also take insects, small eggs and reptiles. I think they are cool cartoonish looking birds.




One the photo below You can compare the Collared Aracari to the Keel Billed Toucan

The main difference between the aracaris and the toucans are the tails. The Collared Aracaris have a sharp and pointed tail. The beaks are about 4 inches long.



Thanks for stopping by my blog and to check out more bird and critters visit the Friday Ark

also
this also my entry for Camera Critters visit Misty dawn's Camera Critters for some cute critters.

39 comments:

Kirigalpoththa said...

That is a beautiful bird! Super photos too!!

Unknown said...

So beautiful! Love those colours.

Ruth's Photo Blog said...

What a massive bill.It seems it must be hard to fly with that 'thing' in front of you. :-) I do love the bright color.
Blessings,Ruth

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Eileen: What neat colors on that bird, oh so colorful.

rainfield61 said...

Wow!! Such a handsome and colourful bird. I would like to be a bird too.

Joe Todd said...

Love all the color.. Have a great weekend

Mary Howell Cromer said...

Bet you cannot miss the big bill on this beauty, what lovely colours it is, and you got it very well! Have a fun weekend~

Johnny Nutcase said...

so cool! His bill blends right in with that tree!

Ebie said...

Your vacation is a paradise! Look at the beautiful and exotic birds! what a treat!

Elaine said...

Beautiful series! The colors are fantastic. They do look very cartoonish.

EG CameraGirl said...

They are such unusual looking birds and so wonderfully colourful!

Al said...

Nice photos Eileen as usual. The beak camouflaged with the leaves,I like the colors!

Michael said...

It must be an odd life living with two canoes growing out of your face. Nice pics of a great looking bird.

Larry said...

You gotta love those tropical birds huh Eileen? That Keel-billed Toucan looks like it would be loads of fun to watch. Seeing those brilliant colors makes me want to eat some fruit myself!

Carletta said...

These would have been worth the trip to me. :)
Great shots!
I love the green billed one. He sure looks good in his surroundings.
Carletta’s Captures.

Animor said...

Wow, that's a beautiful bird. Very colorful. Perfect photo indeed.

Bill S. said...

I am going to have to go to Costa Rica - beautiful pictures.

Robin said...

Those are so cool! I love their big beaks.

We have green drara parrots here (they somehow got here from India, either as escaped bets or a weird migratory blip, no one knows for sure, either way the population's exploded since they have no natural enemies here). I love seeing a group of them fly by my kitchen window.

eden said...

Such beautiful birds. Great shots!

Chad said...

Wow, you are sure making me want to scrape up my pennies and head back to Costa Rica! Fantastic pictures!

Anonymous said...

What a great trip, and great birds, you had. I see you picked my fav photo for the banner. Love those bright feathers.

Unknown said...

They are gorgeous!
How beautiful and colourful - it must be great to see them in the wild!

mick said...

Beautiful birds and it must have been really good to see them flying around like that.

jabblog said...

The Keel Billed Toucan is such a beautiful bird - all those wonderful colours. What a gorgeous place to visit.

Anonymous said...

Incredible birds - great captures. Makes me want to go to Costa Rica!

Coffeeveggie addict. said...

beautiful birds,love its color.,and the beek,gorgeous

Kay Baughman said...

Ah! I wish I were there! What great birds. Someday I'll visit there. We started talking about going to Costa Rica just last week and decided it would be more frugal to explore the US first. So we're going to the Everglades! But your photos make me move Costa Rica back to the top of my "some day" list.
-kay

Bob Kaufman said...

Awesome shots of the Toucans/Aracaris, Eileen! I am so envious!

diane b said...

They are so funny and colourful birds. The look bill heavy. Hoe exciting to see them in the wild.

DoanLegacy said...

These birds are just so fancy looking and colorful! They are beautiful!

Kerri Farley said...

Both are really lovely birds! Of course I think of Froot Loops when I see them :)

Samantha ~ Holly and Zac ~ said...

They are beautiful birds, great shots!

Phil Slade said...

That Keel-billed is really cool Eileen. You did well to capture a picture because it is so beautifully camouflaged against the leaves and sunlight.

NatureFootstep said...

must be hard to fly with that beak.

troutbirder said...

Truely exotic. Thanks for sharing.

Allison Shops said...

What beautiful birds. So colorful!

Thank you for stopping by AtticMag and commenting on my garden.

Allison

~Cheryl said...

That green beak is something else! Glad you were able to get such wonderful photos.

Carolyn Ford said...

I saw so many toucans while in Costa Rica! They would steal food off the buffet tables by the pool each morning...wild...I think NOT!

Dawn Fine said...

I must go see these cool birds sometime! What a wonderful trip this must have been!

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