Chestnut-eared aracari
The Chestnut-eared aracari (Pteroglossus castanotis) is one of the most common and widely distributed species of the aracari. It is found throughout South America, often near human habitation. The bill is multicolored with bright yellow-white “teeth” and a caramel-colored band along the base of the upper mandible, set off by a red area. The skin around the eye varies from gray to blue-green and the iris is whitish-yellow. The throat, ears and nape are chestnut, head is black with a red belly band broadening at the sides.

Channel-bill toucan
The Channel-bill toucan (Ramphastos vitellinus) is one of the smaller of the large black toucans. They weigh approximately 12 ounces (350 grams). The black beak is 4-5 inches (10-13 cm) long. The orange and white breast, red breast band and blue patch around the eye make it a colorful bird.

Helmeted curassow
Helmeted curassows (Crax pauxi pauxi) are endemic to montane cloud forest habitats in Venezuela. They eat soft fruits, leaves, seeds, nuts, small rodents, lizards or insects. This is a large bird, measuring 36 inches (91 cm) from its head to the tip of its tail. A large, gray, fig-shaped “helmet” protrudes from the forehead. The tail feathers have white tips and the lower abdomen and underside of the tail are white. Both sexes are alike, but there is a red phase usually found in the females.

Bare faced curassow
Bare-faced curassows (Crax fasciolata) are sexually dimorphic. The male is all black with a white belly and yellow bill. The female has barring on her back and a red chest and belly. Bare-faced curassows forage on the canopy floor but roost high in the tree tops. They are more arboreal than other large game birds. Curassows feed primarily on fruits, seeds, buds, new leaves, insects and mollusks. Most curassows are endangered due to habitat destruction and hunting. These large birds are a preferred and major item in the diet of many South American people.

Howler monkey
“Beto” is the dominant Red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus) in Howler Heights. Although most Red howler troops contain more than one adult male, the dominant male is usually the only male to mate with the females. When a young male matures, he must either fight the dominant male to replace him or leave the troop in order to reproduce. Red howlers are primarily folivores, eating fruits and flowers when available. They spend most of their time in the canopy of the rainforest, where leaves are most plentiful.