Abstract

ITHALO, Faria Ribeiro; JOSE, Petters  and  LILIAN CRISTINA, Batista Cirne. Beak deformity in toucan (Ramphastos toco) in the humid chaco region of Paraguay: Case Report. Compend. cienc. vet [online]. 2021, vol.11, n.1, pp.27-31. ISSN 2226-1761.  https://doi.org/10.18004/compend.cienc.vet.2021.11.01.27.

ABSTRACT. Beak deformity occurs in several species of birds and can occur due to several factors, including those of congenital, traumatic and nutritional origin. Ramphastos toco, popularly known as toco toucan and tucanuçu in Portuguese, is the largest species of the genus and one of the most common species with beak deformities. Its diet is based on fleshy fruits, playing a role of great importance for the environment where it lives by contributing with seed dispersal. Although these deformities have been recorded in several species of birds around the world, they are rarely reported. Therefore, this work aims to present a case of beak deformity in Ramphastos toco, from the Humid Chaco of Paraguay. A free-living animal was observed during an ecological walk, together with its social group consisting of 8 toco toucans. With the aid of binoculars, it was possible to verify that the animal had a deformity in its rhinothek (horny lining of the maxilla) and that, apparently, it was healthy and able to feed. Records, such as the one in this report, are important for ornithological knowledge, and the monitoring of these animals can contribute to better knowledge about deformities and also about the conservation of the local environment, as birds are considered one of the main bioindicators of the conservation status in the habitat which they live. Consequently, through the study of the existence of specimens with anomalies, it is possible to obtain information about what is happening in a certain region.

Keywords : Animal welfare; Ramphastidae; anomaly..

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