The name of this bird group is derived from Tupi tucana, via French.
Toucans
Toucans range in size from the Lettered Aracari
(Pteroglossus inscriptus), at 130 g (4.6 oz) and 29 cm (11.5 inches), to the Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco), at 680 g (1.5 lb)and 63 cm (29 inches). Their bodies are short (of comparable size to a crow's) and compact. The tail is rounded and varies in length, from half the length to the whole length of the body.
The neck is short and thick. The wings are small, as they are forest-dwelling birds who only need to travel short distances, and are often of about the same span as
the bill-tip-to-tail-tip measurements of the bird.
Costa Rica has 26 national parks, 15 wetland areas/mangroves, 11 forest reserves, as well as 12 other conservation regions.
● Ramphastidae
Toucans are a family, Ramphastidae, of near-passerine birds from the neotropics (i.e. Southern Mexico, Central, South American, and Caribbean region). 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.
The legs of a toucan are strong and rather short. Their toes are arranged in pairs with the first and fourth toes turned backward. The majority of toucans do not show any sexual dimorphism in their coloration, the genus Selenidera being the most notable exception to this rule (hence their common name, "dichromatic toucanets"). However, the bills of female toucans are usually shorter, deeper and sometimes straighter, giving more of a "blocky" impression compared to male bills. The feathers in the genus containing the largest toucans are generally black, with touches of white, yellow, and scarlet.
The underparts of the araçaris (smaller toucans) are yellow, crossed by one or more black or red bands. The toucanets have mostly green plumage with blue markings.
● In Aztec Mythology
● The ancient Aztecs believed that the toucan's beak was created from rainbows .
It was said to be the toucans' reward for being messengers of the gods. The Aztecs would perform ancient rituals worshiping the toucans, believing that because their beak was created from rainbows, that the gods would grant them rain.
The ritual involved a member of the chosen family to wear a headress of toucan feathers, and plead the toucan for rain. If rain did not come within three days, (according to the Aztec Calendar), it would be offered back to the gods on a pyre with a ceremonial burning.
The parents are both active in raising the young.
The white eggs are laid in a high unlined tree cavity. There is have a gestation period of 18 days, and the parents both incubate for 15 to 16 days. However, they can be impatient sitters, often leaving their eggs uncovered for hours at a time. Newborn toucans remain in the nest after hatching. They are blind and naked at birth, and their eyes open after about 3 weeks. They have short bills and specialized pads on their heels to protect them from the rough floor of the nest. The feathers do not begin to expand until they are nearly 4 weeks old. They are helpless and unable to leave the nest for about 8 weeks, dependent upon both parents to feed them. After this, the young can care for themselves. They begin to leave the nest after 40 to 50 days, depending on size.
National Parks of Costa Rica .
1.Refugio Nacional de Fauna Silvestre Isla Bolaños
2.Parque Nacional Santa Rosa y Guanacaste
3.Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja
4.Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Caño Negro
5.Refugio Nacional de Fauna Silvestre Barra del Colorado
y Parque Nacional Tortuguero
6.Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas de Guanacaste.
7.Reserva Biológica Lomas Barbudal.
8.Parque Nacional Palo Verde.
9.Parque Nacional Barra Honda.
10.Refugio Silvestre Peñas Blancas.
11. Póas Volcano National Park.
12.Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo.
13.Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional.
14. Cocos Island National Park.
15.Reserva Natural Absoluta Cabo Blanco.
16.Refugio Nacional de Fauna Silvestre Curú.
17.Reserva Biológica de las Islas Guayabo,
Negritos y de los Pájaros
18.Reserva Biológica Carara.
19.Parque Nacional Volcán Irazú.
20.Monumento Nacional Guayabo.
21. Manuel Antonio National Park.
22.Parque Nacional Marino Ballena.
23. La Amistad International Park.
24.Parque Nacional Cahuita.
25.Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Gandoca-Manzanillo.
26.Reserva Biológica Isla del Caño.
27.Parque Nacional Corcovado.
28.Parque Nacional de Fauna Silvestre Golfito.
29.Parque Nacional Juan Castro Blanco.
30. Arenal Volcano National Park.
31.Parque Nacional Tapantí.
32.Reserva Biológica Hitoy Cerere.
Tourism in Costa Rica is one of the fastest growing economic sectors of the country and by 1995 became the largest foreign exchange earner. Since 2004, tourism earns more foreign exchange than bananas and coffee combined.
The tourism boom began in 1987, with the number of visitors up from 329,000 in 1988, through 1 million in 1999, to 1.9 million foreign visitors in 2007, allowing the country to earn $1.9-billion in that year.
Toucans 
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