The question was:


Identify the type of bird whose eye is shown below by scientific and common names and give its natural range in the wild.



The hint was : This is not lifesize!

The answer is : Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco) whose native range is the Guianas to northern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina in South America. At 18 inches in length, the Toco is one of the largest of the Toucan species. Most of the toucan species are becoming more scarce in aviculture due to difficulties in breeding them and also to a health problem known as hematomochrosis. Toucans, as well as some other soft-billed species, store iron in their livers and often this results in a situation wherein the liver stores too much iron, resulting in death. Therefore, toucans should be in the hands of experienced aviculturists and not kept as cage pets.

Here is a photo of a young
Toco Toucan that was
incubator-hatched and hand-raised at Aves International.


CONGRATULATIONS to all who won 1999 BABY BIRD CALENDARS in our August Mystery Contest! Thanks also to everyone who participated in the contest.

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