Bumblebee toucan spits up a large fruit pit in the Amazon

The many banded aracari, also referred to as bumblebee toucans are striking birds. They have vivid yellow bands on black plumage, making them resemble large bumblebees. Their bills are black with bright yellow and their eyes are surrounded by a band of blue feathers that gives the appearance of wearing a mask over their eyes.

This aracari is a primarily a fruit eater, although these birds will also eat insects, small birds, eggs, and even small rodents or lizards. He lives in the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador and he has perched near a large kapok tree in some branches that are visible to a bunch of bird enthusiasts. These nature lovers are from Canada and they are thrilled with the sight of this gorgeous bird. They have climbed high on a structure built onto the giant kapok so that they are able to view the top of the forest canopy, along with the birds that thrive there.

As the bumblebee toucan sits in his perch, he coughs up a pit from a piece of fruit that he has swallowed whole. As the fruit digests, he is left with the inedible stone which he must regurgitate and discard.

These are fascinating birds and the guide who is leading these tourists through the jungle explains that the birds are known locally as bumblebee toucans. He also explained that these toucans build their nests inside hollowed out trees with openings created by woodpeckers. Some toucans will seal the opening in the nest with mud, fruit, and saliva mixed into a compound that hardens and protects their young. The young will then break out of the nest after several weeks when they are ready to fledge.
Toucans feed and protect their young for several weeks after they leave the nest. The males and females both share in the duties of nest protection and caring for their young.

Toucans are among the most beautiful and the most recognizable of all the birds. This close up view of such a remarkable bird is something that these tourists will never forget,