Toucans Wallpaper, #1919

Toucans are a family, Ramphastidae, of near passerine birds from the neotropics. The family is most closely related to the American barbets. They are brightly marked and have large, colorful bills. The family includes five genera and about forty different species. The name of this bird group is derived from Tupi tucana, via French.A structural complex probably unique to Toucans involves the modification of several tail vertebrae. The rear three vertebrae are fused and attached to the spine by a ball-and-socket joint. Because of this, Toucans may snap their tail forwards until it touches the head. This is the posture in which they sleep, often appearing simply as a ball of feathers, with the tip of the tail sticking out over the head.Toucans are primarily frugivorous (fruit-eating), but are opportunistically omnivorous and will take prey such as insects and small lizards. Captive Toucans have been reported to actively hunt insects in their cages, and it is possible to keep Toucans on an insect-only diet. They also plunder nests of smaller birds, taking eggs and nestlings. This probably provides a crucial addition of protein to their diet. However, in their range, Toucans are the dominant frugivores, and as such play an extremely important ecological role as vectors for seed dispersal of fruiting trees.