Chestnut-eared Aracari

This is a medium-sized member of the toucan family, measuring between 17 and 18.5 inches (43 to 47 centimeters) in length and weighing around 220 to 310 grams. It features a striking plumage with glossy dark green upperparts, contrasting vividly with its yellow and red underparts. The crown is pitch black, while a prominent chestnut-brown patch covers the ear-coverts, providing its common name. Its breast is bright yellow with a distinct red transverse band across the mid-abdominal region and a black patch on the upper breast. The massive, serrated bill displays a combination of black and yellow, with a pale yellowish-white line running along its base. Surrounding the dark eyes is a vivid turquoise-blue patch of bare skin, which frames the striking pale yellow iris. Sexual dimorphism is minimal, although females may possess a slightly shorter bill.

Geographical distribution It is widely distributed across the interior and northwestern regions of South America. Its geographic range extends from southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, and eastern Peru, eastward through central and southern Brazil, northern and eastern Bolivia, northwestern Paraguay, and into the extreme northeastern corner of Argentina, specifically within the Misiones Province.

Habitat: It primarily frequents the canopy and edges of humid lowland forests, gallery forests along riverways, mature secondary forests, and seasonally flooded forests known as várzeas. This species is also commonly observed in forest clearings and wooded agricultural areas, generally occurring at elevations below 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) above sea level, showing a moderate tolerance to disturbed habitats if mature trees are present.

Feeding It is an opportunistic frugivore that consumes a wide variety of wild fruits, with a marked preference for those from the genera Ficus, Cecropia, and various palm trees. This diet is regularly supplemented with animal protein, including large insects, spiders, small lizards, and even the eggs and nestlings of other bird species, which they actively raid from nests, showing highly adaptable foraging habits.

Behavior: Highly social and gregarious, this bird typically travels in active family groups of 5 to 15 individuals. They are energetic, noisy canopy-dwellers that move through the branches with agile hops and short, undulating flights. Their vocalizations are characterized by a sharp, high-pitched "pseek" call used to coordinate group movements. At night, they practice communal roosting, with several individuals squeezing into a single tree cavity, folding their tails over their backs to fit.

Nesting Breeding occurs within natural tree cavities or abandoned woodpecker holes, located at heights ranging from 20 to 65 feet (6 to 20 meters) above the ground. The female lays a clutch of 2 to 4 white eggs, which are incubated by both parents for approximately 16 days. The hatchlings are altricial, born blind and naked; they are cared for by both parents and occasionally by other helper flock members. The fledglings leave the nest after about 40 days.

Conservation status It is currently classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Although local populations face pressure from habitat fragmentation and deforestation driven by agricultural expansion, its vast geographic range and relatively stable population numbers suggest that the species is not globally threatened at present.