Chestnut-eared Aracari

The Chestnut-eared Aracari is a medium-sized member of the toucan family found in lowland and gallery forest across South America, instantly recognizable by its oversized, boldly patterned bill and the warm chestnut patch behind the eye that gives the species its name.

Like other aracaris, it is a social bird, typically moving through the forest canopy in small noisy groups and roosting communally, often with several individuals packed into a single tree cavity at night.

• Head is mostly black with a distinctive chestnut patch covering the ear coverts and extending onto the nape
• Upperparts are glossy black to dark green, with a red rump patch
• Underparts are bright yellow, crossed by a broad black band and a narrower red band across the breast
• Bill is large, mostly pale cream to yellowish with a black tip and a dark culmen ridge, a defining feature of the species even though it is not feathered
• Tail is long and dark, sometimes with a reddish tip
• Distinguished from other aracaris by the chestnut ear patch combined with the specific bill color pattern

Adults of both sexes show similar plumage, with the black head, chestnut ear patch, and yellow underparts crossed by red and black bands present year-round. Juveniles are duller overall, with a less defined chestnut ear patch and a shorter, less vividly patterned bill that develops full coloration with maturity. There is no marked seasonal plumage change in adults.

This species inhabits lowland tropical forest, gallery forest, and forest edge habitats across much of South America, including the Amazon basin and adjacent regions. It is largely resident, moving locally within forest habitat in search of fruiting trees rather than undertaking long migrations.

Chestnut-eared Aracaris feed mainly on fruit, supplemented with insects and occasionally the eggs or nestlings of other birds, foraging in small social groups through the canopy. They nest in tree cavities, often old woodpecker holes, and roost communally with several birds sharing a single cavity. Calls are sharp, repeated chirping or squeaking notes, often given as groups move noisily through the forest.