Specimen 2960 Taxidermy Mount - Black-mandibled Toucan, Ramphastos ambiguus

Summary

The Black-mandibled Toucan has, like all toucans, a large bill. The upper and lower parts of the bill are called mandibles and in this species the lower mandible is almost entirely black and the upper mandible is black with a yellow tip. As another of its common names, Yellow-throated Toucan, suggests the feathers of its neck are yellow, while the rest of its plumage is largely black. The bare skin around the eye is green.

The species occurs in forested areas, usually at elevations over 1000 meters across a wide range of South and Central America. Black-mandibled Toucans feed on fruits and are an important seed disperser for some fruiting trees. They will also eat flowers, insects and small vertebrates.

This specimen came from Colombia. It was purchased by the Museum from the famous British ornithologist and bird artist, John Gould (1804-1881) at some point between 1858 and 1869.

Although they are currently considered quite common the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists Black-mandibled Toucans as being Near Threatened due to the risk of deforestation in the Amazon reducing their habitat by up to 40% over the next few decades.