Tucan vs Toucan in About Us @ Tucan Travel

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Tucan, Toucan, Tucán, Tucano...
Tucan Travel... what's in a name?

When Tucan Travel was formed in 1987, co-founders Pip and Liliana Tyler named their company Tucan Travel because, as they were Latin American specialists principally operating tours in South America and Central America, it made sense to use the local spelling.
 
Here at Tucan Travel, we often get people thinking that our name is spelled Toucan Travel. The name 'tucan' actually derives from the Latin American (Spanish) spelling 'tucán' or Brazilian (Portuguese) spelling 'tucano'. So what are toucans, and how do they travel? What do toucans eat, where do toucans live, and where can you see a toucan on a Tucan Travel tour? Find out some more about the toucan by browsing this interesting information.
 
Tucan Travel is named after the distinctive South American tucan bird with a large brightly coloured beak

The toucan comes from the neotropics - the tropical regions of the Americas. They are bright, striking birds renowned for their large, colourful bills. The toucan family includes around 40 species, the most popular being the keel-billed toucan.They are usually found in pairs or small flocks, and they do not migrate. Related species include Mountain Toucans, Aracaris, and Toucanets.
 
Tucans / toucans / tucanos are considered to be very intelligent and social birdsHow does a toucan travel?
Toucans are social birds and are considered to be very intelligent. They are noisy in groups. Their bodies are heavy with short wings and their first and fourth toes are inverted. They prefer to hop between branches rather than fly.
 
Where do toucans live?
We can find toucans from Mexico to Argentina, usually in tropical rainforest areas. Many live in the dense forests of the Amazon Jungle, and scientists speculate that there could even be species of the toucan that have not yet been documented.
 
What do toucans eat?
Toucans are frugivorous (fruit-eating), but will also take in bird eggs, and small prey such as rodents and insects. Toucans swallow fruit whole and then regurgitate the seeds. Toucans can live for about 20 years.
 





Why do toucans have such large bills?
Some large species of toucans have bills that are at least half as long as their body, but they are very light and strong so don’t weigh the birds down. There has been a lot of scientific debate about the function of the toucan's distinctive bill.
 
Some argue that it is necessary for recognition, while others believe its function is wholly practical in the process of gathering food and seeds. There are also claims that the bill is necessary for defence, while some scientists believe that it could be a mechanism to intimidate smaller birds so that they can more easily plunder their nests.
 
Where can I see a toucan on a Tucan Travel adventure tour?
In Mexico and Central America you may see toucans in jungles and tropical ruin sites such as Tikal in Guatemala. In South America, you will find them in the Amazon Jungle (our tours visit areas of the Amazon in Ecuador, Peru and Brazil), in parts of northern Argentina and all across Brazil.
 
Tucan Travel offers many opportunities to see toucans in the wild - in Mexico, Guatemala and the Amazon Jungle in Equador, Peru and Brazil.

 
The air holidays and flights shown are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is 6855.
ATOL protection extends to clients who pay in the United Kingdom. Click the ATOL logo for more information.