Channel-billed Toucan

The Channel-billed Toucan occurs in the eastern lowlands of Ecuador, where it inhabits humid terra firme forests, forest edges, and secondary growth below 1,000 meters. It is generally uncommon but locally present, often seen in small, vocal groups moving through the canopy in search of fruit, insects, and small vertebrates, playing a key role in seed dispersal. The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a broad Amazonian range and a population that, while slowly declining due to deforestation and fragmentation, remains relatively stable. Natural history observations highlight its striking black-and-yellow bill, loud croaking calls, and social foraging behavior, though nesting biology in Ecuador is still poorly documented.