“The Magnificent Beauty of Shimmering Saffron and Red Tones: Transcending Seasons”

A bird easily recognizable by his vibrant yellow plumage striking, elongated beak that exhibits a captivating bicolored pattern—half of it is red, while the other half gleams with a yellow-green hue.

Meet the Saffron Toucanet:

“saffron toucanet” by Diogo Luiz is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. (cropped)

Description: The saffron toucanet (Pteroglossus bailloni) is a relatively long-tailed toucan, measuring around 35–40 cm (14–16 inches) in total length. Unique among toucans, its plumage is predominantly saffron yellow, while the back and tail display a deeper olive hue. Notable features include a red rump, ocular skin, and patches on the lower half of its otherwise greenish-horn bill. Its iris appears pale yellowish. This species displays sexual dimorphism, with adult males sporting a golden head and breast, an olive mantle, and a red rump.

“Saffron Toucanet – Itatiaia MG 0474 (16407004141) 1” by Francesco Veronesi from Italy is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Adult females resemble males but exhibit more olive and less gold coloration, along with a shorter bill.

Juvenile toucanets are primarily olive and gray, with brown eyes and a mottled bill.

Overview: The saffron toucanet (Pteroglossus bailloni) is a bird species within the Ramphastidae family, primarily found in the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Argentina, southeastern Brazil, and eastern Paraguay.

“saffron toucanet” by Diogo Luiz is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Distribution and Habitat: Saffron toucanets inhabit the Atlantic Forest. They belong to the viridis group, which separated from other Pteroglossus groups around 3 million years ago. Their presence in the Atlantic Forest is attributed to their isolation from the Brazilian savanna biome due to ancient geological events. These toucanets heavily rely on forested environments for their survival. Research suggests that they are particularly sensitive to forest fragmentation, making them vulnerable to habitat changes.

Food and Feeding: The saffron toucanet’s diet primarily consists of fruits such as figs and palm fruits. Additionally, they have been observed consuming young birds, demonstrating opportunistic feeding behaviors.

“saffron toucanet” by Cajá-manga is licensed under CC BY 4.0. (cropped)

Breeding: Breeding observations reveal that saffron toucanets begin nesting in October, with the highest nesting activity recorded in November. They construct nests with cavity depths ranging from 20.0 to 68.0 cm, entrance diameters of 4.3 to 7.4 cm, and cavity heights of 7.0 to 24.0 meters. These toucanets favor nesting in living trees like the Garapa (Apuleia leiocarpa) and the Aspidosperma australe, with trunk diameters ranging from 44 to 132 cm. Nest reuse is uncommon. Courtship behaviors include male singing and feeding the female, as well as mutual preening. Females lay two or three eggs, which are incubated by both parents for approximately 16 days.

Behavior and Ecology: Saffron toucanets play a crucial role as large-gape frugivores, aiding in the dispersal of larger-seeded plants across their habitat. They are among the few bird species capable of transporting sizable seeds to new locations. However, their contribution to ecological networks can also increase their risk of extinction.

“Araçari banana – Pteroglossus bailloni, Tapiraí, São Paulo, Brazil 3” by Luiz Carlos Rocha from Brasil is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Conservation Status and Threats: Saffron toucanets face threats from habitat loss, degradation, hunting, and illegal capture for the pet trade. They are currently categorized as “Near Threatened” by BirdLife International. The species can be found in protected areas like Itatiaia National Park and Intervales State Park in southeastern Brazil.