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A curl-crested araçari with curly black head feathers and a large colorful bill.
Photo: Tom Maher, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Curl-Crested Araçari

Pteroglossus beauharnaesii

A small, colorful toucan of the western Amazon with shiny, curled black feathers on its head that look like plastic.

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About the Curl-Crested Araçari

Curl-crested araçaris live in tropical lowland forests from western Brazil into southeastern Peru and northeastern Bolivia. They are members of the toucan family. The feathers on top of their heads are curled and shiny, unlike any other araçari, and look like bits of black plastic. They fly through the treetops in pairs or small flocks of 3 to 12, looking for fruiting trees.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Pteroglossus beauharnaesii[1]
Diet
Mainly fruit, sometimes eggs or young birds.[1]
Habitat
Tropical moist lowland forest.[1]
Where it lives
Western Brazil, southeastern Peru and northeastern Bolivia.[1]
Group life
Pairs or small flocks of 3 to 12.[1]
Babies
Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the chicks in a tree hole.[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2016).[2]

Fun facts

  • Its curled head feathers look like shiny black plastic.[1]
  • Toucans sleep with their tail flipped up over their back.[1]
  • Several araçaris can squeeze into one tree hole to sleep.[1]

Vocabulary

toucan
A tropical bird with a very large, colorful bill.
frugivore
An animal that eats mostly fruit.
zygodactyl
Having two toes pointing forward and two pointing back, like a parrot.
canopy
The top layer of a forest, made of treetops.
least concern
A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Sources

  1. [1] San Francisco Zoo & Gardens. “Curl-crested araçari.” https://www.sfzoo.org/curl-crested-aracari/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Pteroglossus beauharnaisii (Curl-crested Aracari).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22682041/92929106 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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