Fiery-billed Aracari
The Fiery-billed Aracari is a small, vibrantly colored toucan endemic to the Pacific slope of southern Costa Rica and western Panama, distinguished by its striking fiery orange and red bill with yellow tip, black upperparts, yellow underparts with a red belly band, and social behavior of traveling in small, noisy flocks through humid lowland and…
Pteroglossus frantzii
Scientific Name
Ramphastidae (Toucans)
Family
Piciformes
Order
Range and Habitat of Fiery-billed Aracari
Geographic Range
The Fiery-billed Aracari is endemic to the Pacific slope of Costa Rica and extreme western Panama (Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro provinces).
Migratory Patterns
The Fiery-billed Aracari is non-migratory but shows local movements following fruit availability.
Preferred Habitat
This aracari inhabits primary and secondary humid forests, forest edges and clearings with large fruiting trees, partially logged forests that retain large trees, old growth forest with emergent trees for nesting, gallery forests and wooded ravines, and occasionally ventures into adjacent plantations with fruiting trees. It requires areas with suitable cavity-bearing trees for roosting and nesting.
Altitude Range
The species occurs from sea level to 1,500 m elevation on the Pacific slope, most commonly below 900 m. Occasionally recorded up to 1,800 m following fruiting events.
Costa Rica Habitat
In Costa Rica, the species occurs on the Pacific slope from the Carara region southward. Distribution includes the Central Pacific from Carara National Park to Quepos, Manuel Antonio National Park area, Dominical to Uvita region, throughout the Térraba Valley, Península de Osa including Corcovado National Park, Golfo Dulce region including Piedras Blancas National Park, and San Vito area to the Panamanian border. The species is absent from the dry northwest and entire Caribbean slope.
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Conservation Status
Population Status
The restricted endemic range is a conservation concern. Density varies from 10-20 individuals per km² in optimal habitat.
Major threats include deforestation eliminating nesting and fruiting trees, selective logging removing large cavity-bearing trees, habitat fragmentation isolating populations, hunting and capture for the pet trade despite legal protection.
Conservation efforts
The Fiery-billed Aracari is protected in several national parks including Carara, Manuel Antonio, and Corcovado.
Primary Threats
Major threats include deforestation eliminating nesting and fruiting trees, selective logging removing large cavity-bearing trees, habitat fragmentation isolating populations, hunting and capture for the pet trade despite legal protection.
Fiery-billed Aracari Identification
How to Identify the Species
Rarity Level:
CommonBest Viewing Times:
Early Morning (Dawn - 8 AM), Afternoon (2 PM - 5 PM)
Size
38-43 cm in total length, including the large bill. Males weigh 220-280 g while females weigh 200-250 g.
Plumage
Adults display glossy black head, neck, and upper breast. The upperparts including back, wings, and upper tail are dark olive-green with a metallic sheen. A distinctive bright red rump patch is visible in flight. The lower breast shows a broad red band bordered by black. The belly and undertail coverts are bright yellow. The bare facial skin around the eye is red in males, orange in females.
Distinctive Features
The most striking feature is the large bill measuring 9-11 cm, showing a distinctive color pattern with the upper mandible having a bright orange-red ridge (culmen) with dark sides and an ivory-yellow stripe along the cutting edge. The lower mandible is black. The bill’s “fiery” appearance gives the species its name.
Sexual Dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is subtle. Males are slightly larger with marginally longer bills. Males have red facial skin while females show orange. The female's bill may be slightly shorter and less brightly colored, though overlap exists.
Diet and Feeding Behavior
Primary Diet
- The Fiery-billed Aracari feeds primarily on fruits including palm fruits, Cecropia catkins, various Ficus species, nutmeg relatives, and laurel family fruits. During breeding season, the diet includes more protein from insects, spiders, and small vertebrates.
Foraging Techniques
- These aracaris typically forage in groups of 4-10 individuals moving through the canopy. They use their long bills to reach fruits on terminal branches and manipulate food items with the bill tip before swallowing. The birds toss fruits up and catch them in the throat and regurgitate large seeds after digesting pulp.
Feeding Times
- Peak feeding occurs in early morning from 6:00-9:00 and late afternoon from 15:00-18:00. Groups are less active during midday heat. Activity increases during peak fruiting seasons.
Behavior Patterns
Fiery-billed Aracari
Social Structure
These aracaris are highly social, living in groups of 5-10 individuals, occasionally up to 15. Groups consist of related individuals plus adopted young from previous seasons. All group members roost together in tree cavities. Strong social bonds are maintained through allopreening and play behavior.
Song and Vocalization
The primary vocalization is a sharp, metallic “keeseek” or “pee-sik” repeated several times. Groups maintain contact with constant soft rattling or purring calls. Alarm calls consist of harsh “rak-rak-rak” notes. Bill rattling is used in close-range communication.
Courtship and Mating Ritual
Courtship involves mutual feeding and allopreening between pair members. Males offer choice fruits to females in ritualized presentations. Bill-fencing displays occur with gentle bill touching and crossing.
Territoriality
Groups defend large home ranges of 50-100 hectares, though these overlap with neighboring groups. Defense is primarily at fruiting trees and roost sites rather than boundaries. Aggressive encounters involve bill-fencing and chasing.
Birdwatching Tips
Best Locations for Spotting Fiery-billed Aracari
Prime sites include
- Carara National Park (especially from the bridge)
- Wilson Botanical Garden and Las Cruces area
- Talari Mountain Lodge vicinity
- Esquinas Rainforest Lodge
- Bosque del Río Tigre on Osa Peninsula
- Rancho Casa Grande near Sierpe
- Los Cusingos Bird Sanctuary
- Manuel Antonio National Park
- Villa Lapas area near Tárcoles
- Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge
Best Time of the Year
Observable year-round, with highest activity during breeding season (February-April). Early morning and late afternoon offer best viewing.
Common Behavior
Listen for sharp metallic calls, especially at dawn. Look for groups flying between forest patches with distinctive undulating flight. Check large fruiting trees, particularly palms and figs. Watch forest edges where groups cross openings.
Recommended Gear
8×42 or 10×42 binoculars for canopy observation, spotting scope useful for distant perched birds, camera with telephoto lens (groups often allow prolonged observation)
Breeding and Nesting Behavior
Breeding Season
Breeding occurs from January to May in Costa Rica, with peak activity from February to April during the late dry season and early wet season.
Nesting Sites
The nest is placed in natural tree cavities or old woodpecker holes, typically 6-20 meters above ground. Preferred trees include large emergents with natural hollows. No nest material is added; eggs are laid on wood chips in the cavity bottom.
Clutch Size
2-4 white eggs, typically 3
Incubation Period
16-17 days
Parental Care
This species shows cooperative breeding with all group members helping raise young. Multiple individuals bring food to nestlings, with feeding visits every 20-40 minutes. Young are fed primarily fruits with increasing amounts of animal protein. Fledging occurs at 40-45 days, relatively long for the family. Fledglings are clumsy initially and remain near the nest for several days.
Did You Know?
Interesting Behaviors
Groups sleep together in tree cavities, entering one by one at dusk in established order. Young aracaris engage in elaborate play behavior including mock bill-fencing and tug-of-war with sticks.
Cultural Significance
The distinctive appearance has made it a symbol of Costa Rica’s southern Pacific region. Indigenous peoples traditionally used aracari feathers in ceremonial dress. The species appears frequently in Costa Rican nature art and tourism materials. Local name “cusingo” is onomatopoetic, mimicking its call.
Surprising Traits
Despite their large bills, aracaris are remarkably agile in dense canopy. The bill is surprisingly light due to thin-walled construction with internal supports. Individual birds can be identified by unique bill pattern variations.
How do I identify this bird?
Look for a medium-sized toucan with a distinctive “fiery” bill – orange-red on top with dark sides and black lower mandible. The combination of black head/breast, red breast band, yellow belly, and bright red rump is diagnostic. Endemic to Pacific Costa Rica and western Panama.
Where is the best place to see it in Costa Rica?
Carara National Park area is excellent, especially from the Tárcoles Bridge where groups regularly fly across. Wilson Botanical Garden, various Osa Peninsula lodges, and the Manuel Antonio area also offer reliable sightings. Any Pacific slope location with forest from Carara southward may have this species.
Is it endangered?
Listed as Least Concern but endemic to a restricted range. Habitat loss is the main threat, though the species persists well in protected areas. The pet trade poses an additional threat despite legal protection. Healthy populations exist in major parks and reserves.