Green Aracari
Pteroglossus viridis
A small toucan from northeastern South America with a green back and a bright red, yellow and blue saw-edged bill.
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About the Green Aracari
Green aracaris are among the smallest aracaris, 12 to 16 inches long and 3.8 to 5.6 ounces. They have dark green backs, wings and tails and a large red, yellow and blue bill with a jagged edge. They live in tropical forests of Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela, in small groups in the treetops. They eat fruit, insects, nuts, eggs and small animals.[1]
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Pteroglossus viridis[1]
- Size
- 12 to 16 inches long.[1]
- Weight
- 3.8 to 5.6 ounces.[1]
- Diet
- Fruit, insects, nuts, eggs and small animals.[1]
- Habitat
- Tropical forests.[1]
- Where it lives
- Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela.[1]
- Group life
- Small groups in the treetops.[1]
- Babies
- 2 to 4 eggs, incubated for 16 to 19 days.[1]
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2024).[2]
Fun facts
Vocabulary
- serrated
- Having a jagged, saw-like edge.
- sexually dimorphic
- When males and females of a species look different.
- canopy
- The top layer of a forest, made of treetops.
- omnivore
- An animal that eats both plants and other animals.
- least concern
- A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.
See it in person
- Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · AmazoniaSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗
These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.
Sources
- [1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Green aracari.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/green-aracari (accessed 2026-10-08)
- [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Pteroglossus viridis (Green Aracari).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22681994/264005053 (accessed 2026-10-08)
Facts last checked 2026-10-08.
