Crimson-rumped toucanet in the Refugio Paz de Las Aves, Ecuador

© Tui De Roy/Minden Pictures

Crimson-rumped toucanet in the Refugio Paz de Las Aves, Ecuador

A small patch of red quills in its tail feathers earned this smaller cousin of the toucan its common name. That ‘crimson rump’ provides striking contrast to the deep green, gold, and blue feathers on the rest of the toucanet’s body. Our specimen was photographed in the Refugio Paz de Las Aves (Peace of the Birds Sanctuary), a private nature reserve nestled in the foothills of the Ecuadorian Andes near the equator. Visitors there can spot many neotropical bird species, including antpittas, hummingbirds, and tanagers.