Lifer 629 – Keel-billed Toucan – Reflections of the Pure World

Chronicles of a Birders Life Checklist

Over the previous 40 years I’ve had the great fortune to photographically doc 85% of the fowl species added to my “Life Checklist.” This weblog collection showcases the photographs and anecdotal accounts that doc these “Lifer” sightings and a bit in regards to the setting and tradition of the world. This Lifer weblog collection begins with the primary LIFER exterior of the US, Lifer #624 and proceeds chronologically ahead from there.

A Reflections of the Pure World Weblog Publish Sequence by Jim Acquire

Keel-billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) > Ramphastidae > Piciformes

IDENTIFICATION: Massive unmistakable toucan with an enormous, rainbow-colored invoice. Usually seen in pairs, however not often in teams like aracaris. Flies with a couple of flaps adopted by a swooping glide, generally excessive over the forest cover, and appears like a ‘flying banana.’ Heard extra typically than seen: ‘music’ is a far-carrying, frog-like croak, repeated steadily. Regardless of its massive dimension and vivid colours, may be tough to see in leafy cover, the place it strikes intentionally seeking meals.

CONSERVATION STATUS WARNING: The IUCN considers Keel-billed Toucan to be within the Close to Threatened Purple Checklist Class. This species is threatened by habitat loss, which has been accelerating lately, and by looking and trapping for the pet commerce. The species is present process a reasonably fast inhabitants decline and is due to this fact evaluated as Close to Threatened.

FIRST “LIFER” OBSERVATION:
Birding with: Miguel Amar Uribe from Mexico Kan Excursions and my spouse Maria
Date: 02 Dec 2021 @ Chunyaxché, Quintana Roo, MX
Chunyaxché (Pueblo) | MX-ROO

SPECIES GLOBAL eBIRD DISTRIBUTION MAP
Yellow Star indications the placement of my Lifer sighting

DETAILS ABOUT SIGHTING: We bought in very late to Tulum attributable to flight delays and misplaced baggage and needed to depart early to fulfill up with Miguel Amar Uribe from Amar Aves, Mexico Kan Excursions who was going to guide us on our first journey birding within the Yucatan. Miguel met us with a giant smile and we had been off to discover the pueblito of Chunyaxché and study in regards to the fowl life and cultural historical past of the world. It was nice, barely heat and humid, with plenty of billowing clouds above us. Over the subsequent 2 1/2 hours we’d add 52 species to our first guidelines for Mexico and uncover 25 new “Lifer” species. For me, Lifers #624 to #648.

Chunyaxché/Muyil Ruins Lifer # 629 – Keel-billed Toucan

For many of the group of 25 Lifers that I encountered on this 2 1/2 hour stroll, there was actually nothing distinctive about any of the sightings except the Toucans and Jays. For the entire others they had been all added slowly on the informal stroll by way of the city and alongside a number of the outer trails.

PHOTOS TAKEN: We noticed our “Lifer” first right here in Chunyaxché and I used to be capable of seize some respectable images of this TARGET BIRD #1 for Maria and I. Maria was the one that really noticed it shifting by way of the tops of the timber. I’d finally see and {photograph} extra Keel-billed Toucans in Southern Quintana Roo, Belize and in Tikal, Guatemala.

BACKGROUND ABOUT THE TOWN OF CHUNYAXCHé

Nestled on the fringe of the huge Sian Ka’an Biosphere and throughout the road from the Muyil Archeological Zone, the small city of Chunyaxché is surrounded by tall timber and thick vegetation and is a superb spot for locating lots of the areas birds. It’s positioned roughly 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) south of the coastal website of Tulum, within the Municipality of Felipe Carrillo Puerto within the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Nevertheless, with the development of the brand new Tulum Worldwide Airport and the Mayan Practice line, this cozy city will probably be quickly altering.

Earlier 3 posts in my LIFER Weblog Sequence.