How do toucans make or find a home?

Toucans are cavity-nesting birds, which means they create their homes in holes or cavities in trees. They typically choose large, mature trees with soft wood, such as cecropia trees, for nesting. The male and female toucan work together to excavate the nest cavity, using their powerful beaks to chisel away at the wood. The process of creating a new nest can take several weeks, and the toucans may reuse the same nest site for multiple breeding seasons.

In addition to creating their own nests, toucans will sometimes take over abandoned nests made by other birds, such as woodpeckers or barbets. They may also nest in natural cavities in trees or rocks, or even in man-made structures like nest boxes.

Toucans typically lay two to four eggs per clutch, and both parents take turns incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks. The chicks hatch after about 18 to 20 days, and they remain in the nest for several weeks until they are fully grown and able to fly.