THE TOUCAN

The toco toucan, the largest and best known toucan species, is at home in South America's tropical forests. Its oversized, colorful beak has made it one of the world's most popular birds.They can weigh nearly two pounds and grow to 25 inches long, with their beak being for nearly half of their length.Both male and female toucans own large, colorful beaks . Their exact purpose isn't clear, though they're believed to play a role in the courtship ritual and in self-defense. As a weapon, however, the bill(beak) is more show than substance. It's a lightweight honeycomb of keratin, the same protein that makes up fingernails and horn supported by thin rods of bone. While its size may deter predators, it is of little use in fighting them. So while a toucan bite definitely doesn't feel good (they can put down an uncomfortable amount of pressure).