TOUCAN SIGHTINGS IN EAST COUNTY

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By Miriam Raftery

August 29, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – If you see a bird that looks suspiciously like a flying Fruit Loops mascot, you’re probably not imagining it.  Residents from Alpine to Jamul are reporting sightings of a tropical toucan – and the Alpine Community Network website even posted a photo with the observation, “OMG ITS REALLY A TOUCAN!”

Other sightings have been documented in Spring Valley, Crown Hills, and Blossom Valley. Today, the Deerhorn Valley Antler reports two sightings in the Deerhorn Valley community south of Jamul.

Toucans are native to southern Mexico as well as South and Central America and the Caribbean, so the toucan spotted locally is presumably a lost pet.  Toucans eat primarily fruits, such as mangoes, berries, citrus or bananas, but will also eat eggs, insects, lizards, or even snakes.

There are various species of toucans, all noted for their long bills and bright plumage.  One parrot rescue worker has suggested the bird seen locally looks like a keel-billed toucan.

Keel billed toucans are threatened in the wild due to destruction of rainforest habitat. One also popular in the pet trade, their popularity has diminished due a poor temperament, according to the Rainforest Alliance. View a colorful photo of a keel-billed toucan, also known as a rainbow-billed toucan due to its brilliantly hued beak, at their website.

Some have offered to help catch the bird, while others have questioned if it might better be left in the wild. After all, several species of wild tropical parrots are now thriving in the wild locally though it is unknown where they originated.

A group of employees of the San Diego Zoo and Sea World have posted on the Alpine Community Network that they are willing to help capture the traveling toucan if texted at 619-993 4848.


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