Pale-mandibled Aracari

Pale-mandibled Aracari at the Milwaukee County Zoo

Meet the Pale-mandibled Aracari, a species of bird that belong to the Ramphastidae family, making them relatives of the Toucans (can't you tell?) They can be found in the forests of Ecuador and Peru.

Pale-mandibled Aracaris are named for... well... their pale-colored beaks. Their bodies are primarily black, but they sport some really beautiful splashes of color, including bright yellows, oranges, and reds on their chest and underbelly, and a huge pop of red on the back.

These birds are prolific frugivores, meaning that they eat lots and lots of different fruits. In the wild they actually feed off of over 100 different types of plant! They also will eat insects to get some extra protein.

They lay small clutches of of 2-4 eggs that take only 2 weeks to hatch. The young birds fledge after about 40 days.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : South America
Size : Body Length up to 2ft (60cm), Weight up to 20lbs (9kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Piciformes
Family : Ramphastidae -- Genus : Pteroglossus -- Species : P. erythropygius