Pair of inquisitive Toucans

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Pair of inquisitive Toucans
Photo Information
Copyright: Liezel Dsouza (ldsouza) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 105 W: 26 N: 222] (1341)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-11-10
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 5D, Canon 300 f/4 L IS
Exposure: f/4, 1/20 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-11-10 14:57
Viewed: 1072
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Visited the National Zoo this morning. Dont like to take pictures of animals/birds in capitvity ... but dont see myself getting these in the wild.

Toucans are near passerine birds from the neotropics. They are brightly marked and have enormous colorful bills. The family includes six genera and about 40 species.

Toucans range in size from 18 to 63 cm (7 to 25 in). A bit bigger than a crow, their body is short and thick and the tail is rounded. The tail varies in length from half the length to the whole length of the body. The neck is short and thick while at the base of the head is a huge, brightly-colored beak that measures in some large species, more than half the length of the body. A toucan's tongue is long, narrow, and singularly frayed on each side, adding to its sensibility as an organ of taste.

The legs of a toucan are strong and rather short. Their toes are arranged in pairs with the first and fourth toe turned backward. Both males and females are the same color. The feathers in the genus containing the largest toucans are generally coloured black, with touches of white, yellow, and scarlet. The underparts of the araçaris (smaller toucans) are yellow, crossed by one or more black or red bands, and the edges of the beak are saw-toothed. The toucanets have mostly green plumage with blue markings.

Toucans are frugivorous (fruit-eating), but will take insects and other small prey such as small lizards. However, many other birds consume these foods without the giant bill to help them. So what is the function of the beak in feeding? One likely use is to specialize on prey such as nestlings and bats in treeholes. In this view, the beak is an adaptation to allows the bird to reach deep into the treehole and thereby access food unavailable to birds that would otherwise compete for similar food reasources.

They are arboreal and nest in tree holes laying 2–4 white eggs. The young hatched are completely naked, without any down. They are resident breeders and do not migrate. Toucans are usually found in pairs or small flocks.
blakitan, horia, pankajbajpai, coasties, livios, shal has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Liezel,
Well focused shot with shallow DoF, sharp on the toucan at front, nice blurry BG. Well composed picture. Superb shot and great PP works.

Ben Lakitan

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2045 W: 6 N: 1781] (12432)
  • [2006-11-10 17:52]

Es maravilloso el colorido de estos pájaros y agradable compo. saludos Liezel

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2064 W: 220 N: 3584] (11692)
  • [2006-11-11 4:49]

Hi Liezel

What a beautiful capture! These two toucans look so great on that tree beanch.
I like the usage of the shallow DOF, the POV is great and the colors are simply lovely and very well saturated,
Nice details, excellent perspective - all-in-all a superb composition!
Bravo for this geat work!

Cheers and have a great weekend
Horia

hi Liezel,
lovely shot, beautiful colours, nicely composed. very good dof. nice pov. excellent sharpness.
very well done.
tfs
regards
pankaj

Hi Liezel

Lovely shot of the Toucan in front. I find the out of focus bird at the back to be a bit distracting though. My eyes keep looking to see it and not quite getting it. Nevertheless a stunning photograph.

Ciao
Franscois

Hi Liezel

Love this colourful charachter! I like his OOF mate in the BG. Good saturation of colour and POV. Well done! TFS.

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2307 W: 324 N: 4310] (16834)
  • [2006-11-12 18:10]

Liezel, this is indeed very nice and colorful.

Excellent pov and composition.

I like pose too, as well as your note.

Congratulations.

  • Great 
  • james (74)
  • [2006-11-19 16:41]

Fantastic coloring and details. Focus is sharp. DOF is perfect. I am a bit envious of your photo.
Well done. TFS. James

  • Great 
  • shal Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 287 W: 71 N: 499] (2086)
  • [2006-11-19 23:33]

Wow lovely colours and compo.
great framing,
Cheers :D

  • Great 
  • tinman Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 242 W: 7 N: 458] (2663)
  • [2006-11-21 10:35]

Unusual dof effect and very effective, well done on a colourful shot

Hi Liezel,
Suberb photo.Very well composed .Great work.
Reagards,
Ali

  • Great 
  • delic Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 530 W: 6 N: 340] (936)
  • [2007-02-28 11:44]

Hello Liezel,
Lovely pair of toucans. I like the way one is sharply in focus and juxtaposed with the other, blurred one. Wish I could see all of it though.
Best wishes,
Hakan

Hi Liezel,

I would have to say toucans are my favorite birds and I really like the varieties that the ramphastids come in. I would have to say the rainbow-billed(Rhamphastos sulphuratus) toucans are my favorite then the tocos(Rhampastos Toco) and then the curl crested aracari(Pteroglossus beauharnaesii). I can actually tell the difference between the gender of this particular species and a few others, even though they look almost identical. The toucan in front is a female and the one in back is probably a male only because male toucans would more than likely fight in small enclosure if put together. But because of it being blurry it is hard to say for sure. Another interesting fact is all ramphastids eggs incubate in exactley 16 days from being laid. Anyway nice picture. :)

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