Green toucanet

The green  toucanets are near-passerine birds from the genus Aulacorhynchus in the toucan family. They are native to Mexico, and Central and South America. All are found in humid forests and woodlands in highlands, but a few also occur in adjacent lowlands. They are relatively small toucans, 30 - 44 cm long, with colorful, mainly green, plumage. They are typically seen in pairs or small groups, and sometimes follow mixed species flocks.

Taxonomy
A major taxonomy review in 1974 resulted in 6 species in the genus Aulacorhynchus, and this has been followed by virtually all later authorities.

In 2001, it was suggested that A. prasinus, as traditionally defined, was a species complex that should be split into 7 different species based on preliminary morphological evidence. This has to some extent been supported by genetic evidence, which suggests that an additional species should be recognized (griseigularis is included in A. albivitta based on morphological evidence, but the two are split based on genetic evidence). Additionally, genetic evidence supports splitting A. derbianus into two separate species, but it does not support splitting A. sulcatus into two separate species, as has been recommended earlier.

At present, most authorities maintain that the genus Aulacorhynchus only has 6 species (with the remaining treated as subspecies), but SACC do recognize the need for a review of the A. prasinus and A. derbianus complexes.

Species

 * Blue-banded Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus coeruleicinctis)
 * Chestnut-tipped Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus derbianus)
 * Whitely's Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus (derbianus) whitelianus)
 * Crimson-rumped Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus haematopygus)
 * Yellow-browed Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus huallagae)
 * Emerald Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus prasinus)
 * Wagler's Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus (prasinus) wagleri)
 * Blue-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus (prasinus) caeruleogularis)
 * Violet-throated or Nelson's Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus (prasinus) cognatus)
 * Santa Marta Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus (prasinus) lautus)
 * (North) Andean or White-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus (prasinus) albivitta)
 * Plumbeous-throated or Grey-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus (prasinus) griseigularis)
 * Black-throated or Peruvian Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus (prasinus) atrogularis)
 * Groove-billed Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus sulcatus)
 * Yellow-billed Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus (sulcatus) calorhynchus)