User:Piapoco/Guiana toucanet Sandbox

Characters. This Guianan species is more stongly differentiated than the other Amazonian forms. The measurements indicate differing proportions. The wing and tail are relatively short and the bill is comparatively long. The female also is quite distinct and has a chestnut neck and gray underparts. The bill of culik is black with a brick red base. The facial skin is paris green or green, the iris is brownish red or brown, and the feet are green or greenish lead.

Vocalizations. Foraging birds produce a series of throaty, rather hard rattles, as recorded by Paul Schwartz in southeastern Venezuela and near Manuas, Brazil. Although the rattles may be given randomly, very frequently they are organizied into phrases of rattles that follow a fairly standard pattern. The rattles combine mechanical and vocal elements and appear to be mostly mechanical in the beginning but become largely or entirely vocal as the phrase develops. Screams of excited birds after playback of their calls are not a usual part of their repertoire. However, the overall similarity of these screams with the yelps of Andigena nigrirostris and Pteroglossus flavirostris is noteworthy. The bill rattles of S. culik and A. nigrirostris are also very similar, although they are probably mainly mechanical in the latter and predominantly vocal in the former species.

Distribution. Selenidera culik inhabits the Guianas and northern Brazil south to the north bank of the lower Amazon. It meets S. nattereri in the Kanuku Mountains of southern Guyana and probably in the upper Caroni Valley of southern Venezuela. The conspicuous difference in their voices may prevent hybridization of these species at the zone of contact.