The Guyana Toucanet (Selenidera culik) is an attractive member of the lowland toucanets found throughout Venezuela, Guyana, and Surinam where it  is very common. Weighing little more than 140 grams, It has an overall length of ten  inches with a beak approximately three inches. It is dimorphic species. 

The male  has a black head and breast, whereas the female, one of the prettiest of the toucanets, has a gray breast, black crown, and chestnut nape. Both have red and  black beaks, red irises, blue skin around the eye, and yellow ear patches.

Aviculture: Outdoor flights should be at least 4' x 8' x 4' for toucanets (Even larger flights should be used if possible!).

Toucanets may be a bit pugnacious with other species in their family and with smaller birds, and therefore should not be housed with different birds in small enclosures or cages. 

Toucanets are frugivorous birds, whose primary diet is fruit. In the wild they consume fruits from as many as 100 species of plants and trees. They also consume a variety of insects for protein, especially during their nesting cycle.

They MUST be fed FRESH fruit every day! The fruit diet should also be supplemented with a low iron protein source (such as Mazuri Low Iron Softbill diet by Purina Mills).

They are not as difficult to breed as often thought and must be housed alone in pairs, preferably following the size enclosures mentioned above under housing. While they will breed in boxes, with a concave bottom, they are far more likely to breed if they are provided with a "natural" nest, constructed from a palm tree log. Logs allow these birds to continually dig their nest chamber deeper, which helps them cement the pair bond. 

All Ramphastids lay pure white, elliptical shaped eggs, usually 3-4 per clutch. Incubation for all species lasts 16 days, and young fledge the nest at 40-42 days.

First captive breeding: The Guyana toucanet was first bred in captivity in 1990 by Jerry Jennings.

CITES status: not listed.

Emerald Forest Bird Gardens