The curl-crested Aracari, that is! This relative of the toucan has a headful of tightly curled feathers, giving it a decidedly eccentric look and it's popular name.
Properly know as Pteroglossus beauharnaesii, this little guy hails originally from the damp lowland forests of the Amazon. In the wild they forage for fruits and the occasional nestling of another species, but here in Los Angeles they make do with chopped papaya, banana, and a special pelleted diet made just for birds like them.
They are said to be hard to spot in the wild, despite their bright colors, and are considered to be rare throughout their range. When our pair first showed up they were hard to spot too, but they have gradually lost their shyness. After a lot of work they
will now eat from my hand, a real treat for me since they are among my very favorite birds! All that color and curly feathers too. What more could you want in a bird?
Oh my gosh what an incredible bird. I thought it was a ceramic bird. These are beautiful birds. You are so lucky to have th opportunity to work with them.
ReplyDeleteThanks! They do look fake I think! When I first saw them I couldn't believe a bird that looked like that existed, lol!
ReplyDeleteI love that bird! The colors are amazing!I wish I could go into the aviary but the smell it just kills me!
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool.
ReplyDeleteHaha, thanks everyone!
ReplyDeleteIts amazing they can hold their heads up with that beak! They don't even look real! They are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWow! Beautiful bird!
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