Frugivory by Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco) inhabiting a mountain chain in the Brazilian cerrado

Abstract

I describe the feeding habits of Ramphastos toco (Toco Toucan) in relation to fruit abundance and diversity in a variety of habitat types in central Brazil. I traversed transects to sample fruit production and toucans that were feeding in four habitat types: two wet (streams and river) and two dry (cerrado and deciduous forest). Fruit abundance exhibited substantial temporal and spatial variability in which dry habitats provided fruits to toucans mainly in the dry season; the same occurred in the wet habitats during the rainy season. As a result, toucans experienced similar fruit diversity between seasons, while feeding niche breadth exhibited high values all year. The variable spatial and temporal fruiting patterns reflected differences among the vegetation of the four habitat types, and floristic variations between related sites as well. The data emphasize the importance of the peculiarities of a given site within a habitat mosaic and which should be included in conservation plans for declining species.