Birds4Kids.blogspot.com : Toucan

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NATURAL WORLD : BIRDS - TOUCAN





Can you see that large colourful bill that's too big for the head. Yes, a toucan's bill is four times the size of its head. and almost as long as its body. That must be difficult for the toucan to carry around. But in reality, the bill is actually quite light  and is made of keratin, the same material that your skin and hair is made of. A toucan uses its bill to poke into hollows and make a place for itself to sleep as you can see in the picture above.


Why is a large bill useful to a toucan?

* It helps a toucan to reach for berries and nuts that are far away on a branch or to crack and peel fruits.

* It helps a toucan to dig into hollows and make a nest for itself.* With a bill so long, it can grab eggs to eat from the nests of other birds.

* Most importantly, it can attract a mate. 
* It can also scare away other animals or birds that may try to hunt a toucan.
*  The edges of the bill are like a saw and help to break down the food and throwing away what they can't eat.
* They tuck the bill under their feathers to keep warm.



What's inside the huge beak and what do they eat?     

....a long thin tongue that helps the bird to catch and taste the food before eating it. Toucans are omnivores feeding on fruits like figs, oranges and guavas in addition to birds' eggs and small animals like frogs and snakes.

Toucans tap, click and clatter their beaks to communicate with each other. They make a variety of sounds like croaking, grunting or squawking.

This body is covered with shiny black feathers while the throat is lighter in colour. They live in the dense rain forests of South and Central America. They lay about 2 to 4 eggs a year and both the male and the female bird takes turns to incubate the  eggs. Baby toucans have small beaks that grow big when they are older.


Let's talk about them......

TOUCAN

1. A toucan has a large colourful beak.

2. It lives in tree hollows and branches.

3. It eats fruits, seeds and small animals.

4. Toucans are noisy and live in small groups.

5. They are found in South America.


Public Speaking

Note for educators and parents : Describe and explain with the help of information given on this page. Help the child memorize these lines and speak in front of a camera with actions.  Young Learners may post their videos and comments here.

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