Toucans are members of the large softbill group. They originate from parts of Central and south America. While years ago I have seen one that was a pet, this is extremely rare and they are usually sold as aviary birds. There are many type of toucans ranging from the smaller Toucanets to the larger Toucans. They should be kept in single pairs as they have been known to kill smaller birds. They are aggressive by nature. Their long bills are actually quite light. The bills have a honey-combed structure and a long narrow tongue which may enable the toucan to reach fruits that might have been out of reach. This same bill can also snap up small animals for food.
I really do not have a lot of personal experience with Toucans other than enjoying their beauty and taking pictures for my paintings. Recently I have started to see a few more Toucans for sale at the local bird shows. Up till now, I had only found them in zoos and other places like the Parrot Jungle in Miami. I believe that lately there is more interest in these birds and strides have been made in understanding their dietary and habituation needs. As a result breeders are becoming more successful as well as interested in breeding the various toucans. The pairs I have seen for sale have been very expensive. They are truly beautiful, active birds and there are many species to be enjoyed. I believe they could be a truly unique bird for an experienced breeder.
Toucan IThis print is from an early painting I did of a Toucan. I still am fascinated by the beautiful coloring on their beaks. I am sure that true toucan lovers could identify this bird. I am afraid that I did it from a photo I took years ago which makes it almost impossible for me to remember the type. Loved placing this toucan in a true jungle scene.
Toucan IIThis print is from a more recent toucan painting. I tend to call it "Tucan You Can". This bird was in particular good condition. Again, I am not sure which species of toucan that this is. It too is an older painting and there are so many different types of toucans that … as I said above, my main enjoyment from toucans is looking at their beautiful colored beaks and I have not had the opportunity to actively interface with them due to their rarity.