Andigena, the mountain toucans, is a genus of birds in the family Ramphastidae. They are found in humid highland forests in the Andes of South America, ranging from Bolivia to Venezuela. These medium-sized toucans all have olive-brown upperparts, a black crown, yellow rump, blue-grey underparts and a red vent.

Taxonomy and systematics

Extant species

Genus Andigena – Gould, 1851 – four species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeSize and ecologyIUCN status and estimated population
Grey-breasted mountain toucanAndigena hypoglauca (Gould, 1833) Two subspecies A. h. hypoglauca (Gould, 1833)A. h. lateralis (Chapman, 1923)Southern Colombia, Ecuador and PeruSize: Habitat: Diet:LC
Plate-billed mountain toucanAndigena laminirostris Gould, 1851Western Ecuador and far south-western ColombiaSize: Habitat: Diet:NT
Hooded mountain toucanAndigena cucullata (Gould, 1846)South-eastern Peru to central BoliviaSize: Habitat: Diet:LC
Black-billed mountain toucanAndigena nigrirostris (Waterhouse, 1839) Three subspecies A. n. nigrirostris (Waterhouse, 1839)A. n. occidentalis (Chapman, 1915)A. n. spilorhynchus (Gould, 1858)Western Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and far northern PeruSize: Habitat: Diet:LC

Former species

Some authorities, either presently or formerly, recognize additional species or subspecies as species belonging to the genus Andigena including:

Further reading

  • Restall, R. L., C. Rodner, & M. Lentino. (2006). Birds of Northern South America. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 0-7136-7243-9 (vol. 1). ISBN 0-7136-7242-0 (vol. 2).
  • Schulenberg, T., D. Stotz, D. Lane, J. O' Neill, & T. Parker III. 2007. Birds of Peru. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 978-0-7136-8673-9