Collared Aracari

There are many fascinating aspects of the Collared Aracari. Certainly that serated bill stands out. As does the overall coloration -- the yellow chest and belly, the black and red band across the belly, the black spot (barely visible here) on the chest, the rufous band across the nape of the neck, the bright red rump. I could go on. But this photograph shows (especiallly if you view it in full screen mode) another subtle but incredibly interesting aspect -- notice that the iris has black pigmentation that partially surrounds and disrupts the perfectly round appearance of the pupil. The amount and pattern of this black iris pigmentation varies from bird to bird, but every single Collared Aracari (and the closely related Fiery-billed Aracari) exhibits this characteristic. I've never seen anything that discusses this, and I wonder whether this helps the bird to see better (reduce glare?) or whether it helps the bird to look even more intimidating to others (by making its eyes look even bigger than they are). Either way, one of my all-time favorite birds.

 

It's too bad that vertical tree mars the background of this photograph. Maybe some day I'll try to Photoshop it out.

Done