Why the name?

The bill of the toucan is so out-of-proportion that during flight the bird takes several wing beats and glides. When gliding, the angle of the beak slowly falls until the next set of wing beats lifts the beak up again.

Because of this flight pattern many tropical biologists call them "banana-pushers."

Is the bill heavy?

It is hollow and lightweight. The outside is strong and made of hard keratin, like your fingernails.

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For more tropical rainforest resources, from the Science Museum of Minnesota's IMAX®/OMNIMAX® film - see the Tropical Rainforest cluster.

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What nickname would you give a pelican? Make a flipbook showing what you think a banana-pusher looks like in flight? What sounds can you imagine this bird making?

Talking about toucans

Where does the toucan hang out?

Animal Adaptations