Collared Aracari, Pteroglossus torquatus

Collared Aracari, Pteroglossus torquatus. Photographs courtesy of Dr. Tom Bartol, Carlsbad, California, taken in the coastal region of Costa Rica, February 2016.

The Collared Aracari, Pteroglossus torquatus, is a member of the Ramphastidae Family of Toucans. They are mid-sized in stature. In Mexico they are found in the coastal regions within the Atlantic Slope from Veracruz to the Yucatán, and within the Pacific Slope in the States of Oaxaca and Chiapas at elevations below 1,000 m (3,300 feet). From a conservation perspective the Collared Aracari is currently considered to be of Least Concern with widely distributed populations, however their populations are declining. They are found in wooded habitats, thickets, bushes along the edges of forests and in cacao, coffee and fruit plantations in humid environments. They primarily consume seasonal fruits supplemented with insect and small vertebrates. They are known to raid bird nests and steal the eggs of smaller birds.