The Keel Bill Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) known formerly as the Sulfur Breasted Toucan and recently called the Rainbow Billed Toucan because of it's colorful beak is a native of Central America from southern Mexico to Colombia. The Keel Bill is one of the smallest of the large toucans weighing 400 grams on average. The Keel Bill has enjoyed great popularity as both a zoo bird and as a pet, because of its colorful bill. It is an intelligent bird, and easily trained to perform tricks including somersaults and a video of a somersaulting Keel Bill can be seen at
www.emeraldforestbirds.com. In Belize, Guatemala and Costa Rica, people often keep them loose around their homes, where the birds are free to come and go.
Keel Bills were first bred in captivity at the Houston Zoo in 1976 and has bred sporadically since. It is perhaps the second most common large toucan in captivity today. It has not been legally imported into the U.S. since 1992 except through the Toucan Cooperative Breeding Program permitted by USFWS. Keel Bills breed in tree hollows created after limbs have broken off allowing the heartwood to rot forming a cavity. Keel Bills lay 3-5 elliptical white eggs. Incubation lasts 16 days and chicks fledge 43-45 days later. Keel Bills are listed on CITES Appendix II.
If you have descriptions to add or pictures of a Keel billed Toucan please email it to
birdsofprey1@aol.com to be included on this page about the Keel billed Toucan.
