Pale-billed Aracari

About the Pale-billed Aracari

The pale-mandibled aracari or pale-billed araçari (Pteroglossus erythropygius) is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in southern Panama, western Colombia, Ecuador and northwestern Peru. The pale-mandibled aracari was formally described in 1843 as Pteroglossus erythropygius by the English ornithologist John Gould based on a specimen in the collection of the British naval officer Edward Belcher. The specific epithet combines the Ancient Greek ερυθρος/eruthros meaning "red" with -πυγιος/-pugios meaning "-rumped". Gould did not specify a type locality but this has been designated as Ecuador.

Two subspecies are recognised: P. e. sanguineus Gould, J, 1854 – eastern Panama and northern Colombia southward to northwestern Ecuador (northern Esmeraldas and adjacent Imbabura) P. e. erythropygius Gould, J, 1843 – western Ecuador (western Esmeraldas southward to El Oro) and northwestern Peru (eastern Tumbes)

The subspecies P. e. sanguineus has sometimes been treated as a separate species, the stripe-billed aracari. The pale-mandibled aracari is 40.5 to 43 cm (16 to 17 in) long including its 11.5 to 12.5 cm (4.5 to... Wikipedia →