People usually start searching for collared aracari pet care when they’ve seen one for sale, inherited a bird, or are weighing up whether this is a realistic long-term companion. The early decisions matter: diet, housing and legal paperwork are the difference between a bird that copes quietly in captivity and one that slowly unravels from stress, poor nutrition, or preventable disease.
Collared aracaris are toucans—fruit-forward, flock-oriented canopy birds with a strong need for space, routine, and careful feeding. Below is a practical snapshot of what they’re like to live with, what they need day to day, and what to check in Australia before you commit.
- Adult size: Around 38–41 cm long (collared aracaris are often larger than people expect).1, 2
- Weight: Roughly 175–250 g (varies by sex, condition and subspecies).1, 2
- Lifespan: Often quoted as 15–20 years in human care (individual variation is normal).1
- Noise level: Can be surprisingly loud and far-carrying for their size.2
- Temperament: Social, alert and active; usually does best with daily interaction and predictable handling.
- Diet type: Omnivorous, but fruit is the backbone; insects and other animal matter are usually a smaller component.2, 3
- Housing: Aviary-style space is strongly preferred over a standard cage for long-term welfare.
- Exercise: Daily out-of-enclosure movement and climbing opportunities matter more than “flight laps”.
- Grooming: Regular bathing/misting is normal; provide safe water options and allow drying in warmth.
- Health watch-outs: Like many softbills, toucans/aracaris can be prone to iron overload (iron storage disease) if fed the wrong diet. Also be cautious about any exposure to PBFD in mixed-bird households (PBFD is primarily a psittacine disease).4, 5, 6
Introduction to collared aracaris
The collared aracari (Pteroglossus torquatus) lives from southern Mexico through Central America and into parts of northern South America. In the wild it moves through forested country in small, social groups, spending much of the day feeding in trees and shifting between perches in quick hops, short flights and glides.2
In a home setting, that ecology doesn’t vanish—it just shows up as a need for height, branches, routine, and company. These birds notice everything. They also feel the strain of boredom and cramped housing quickly, often in ways that look like “naughtiness” but are really unmet needs.
Characteristics and behaviour
Collared aracaris are mid-sized toucans with a long bill and a bold, high-contrast pattern: dark upperparts, a yellow chest, and a red rump. Adults are typically around 38–41 cm long and roughly 175–250 g.1, 2
Behaviour in the wild is distinctly social. Small flocks may roost together in tree cavities, sometimes packing multiple birds into the same hollow. Movement is agile and branch-focused, with lots of climbing and quick repositioning rather than long-distance flight.2
In captivity, expect a bird that wants to be near activity, investigate objects, and keep track of daily rhythms. Vocalisations can be frequent and carry further than you’d think for a bird of this weight—fine in an aviary setting, difficult in an apartment with close neighbours.2
Pros and cons of keeping a collared aracari
When they can be a good fit
- Visually striking, active birds that spend a lot of time “up in the branches”, which suits an outdoor aviary life.
- Social and observant when handled calmly and consistently.
- Long-lived compared with many similarly sized birds, so you can build a steady routine over years.1
Where people get caught out
- Noise and timing: calls can be loud and regular, especially around feeding and morning activity.2
- Space needs: they cope poorly with “just a cage” living; lack of climbing room often becomes a welfare issue.
- Diet is not optional detail: inappropriate feeding (including iron-rich or heavily fortified foods) can raise the risk of iron overload in toucans and related softbills.4, 6
- Avian-vet access: you’ll want a vet comfortable with softbills/exotics, not just parrots.
Housing and environment
Think “small canopy bird” rather than “cage bird”. Height matters. Branch spacing matters. A collared aracari needs to move between perches, climb, and choose distance from people when it wants to settle.
Set up the enclosure so the bird can:
- move through multiple perching levels (not just one row of dowels)
- choose quieter roosting spots away from the main activity zone
- forage and explore safely (puzzle feeders, scattered softbill-safe feeding stations)
- bathe regularly (a shallow dish or gentle misting routine, with a warm drying area)
Cleanliness is not cosmetic with toucans: fruit-heavy diets mean wet droppings and sticky surfaces. Daily spot cleaning and regular deep cleaning helps keep feet, feathers and airways in better shape.
Feeding and nutrition
In the wild, collared aracaris eat mostly fruit, with insects and small animal prey making up a smaller portion. Captive feeding should reflect that: fruit-forward, varied, and controlled—without drifting into sugary “fruit salad only” or high-iron, high-fortification convenience foods.2, 3
A sensible base diet
- Fruit as the main component, rotated for variety (different colours, textures, seasons).
- Some animal protein (often insects) in modest amounts, especially during breeding or high-demand periods.2, 3
- A formulated softbill/toucan diet (where available) can help balance nutrients—ask an avian vet for a brand suited to toucans/aracaris.
- Fresh water always, changed daily.
Iron overload: the quiet problem to take seriously
Toucans and aracaris are commonly discussed in aviculture alongside “iron storage disease” (iron overload). It can be subtle until it isn’t—birds may appear fine and then deteriorate quickly. Prevention is largely diet-based: avoid iron-fortified human foods, be cautious with supplements, and don’t add vitamin C supplements unless your avian vet has told you to (vitamin C can increase iron absorption).4, 6
If you’re buying a bird, ask what it has been eating and whether any iron status testing has ever been done. If you’re inheriting a bird on an unknown diet, book an avian vet visit early rather than “waiting to see how it goes”.
Health and veterinary care
Line up an avian veterinarian before you need one. Routine health checks matter with softbills because early illness can be quiet: weight drift, subtle lethargy, changes in droppings, or a bird spending longer fluffed and still.
Two health topics come up often in mixed-bird households:
- PBFD (psittacine beak and feather disease): this circovirus primarily affects parrots (psittacines) and is a major concern in parrot keeping. If you keep parrots and are considering an aracari, quarantine and hygiene planning is sensible, but be cautious about blanket claims that aracaris are “susceptible” in the same way as parrots.5, 7
- Iron storage disease (iron overload): a recognised issue in toucans and related birds, strongly influenced by diet and husbandry.4, 6
Training and enrichment
Training is less about tricks and more about cooperation: stepping onto a perch, accepting gentle restraint, moving calmly into a carrier, and allowing routine inspection. Short sessions, steady cues, and a predictable endpoint usually work better than long, intense interactions.
Enrichment that suits a collared aracari tends to be physical and food-based:
- foraging opportunities that mimic picking and probing
- branches and natural perches for climbing and foot health
- rotation of safe objects to investigate (so novelty stays novel)
- multiple feeding points to encourage movement
Legal considerations in Australia
Don’t assume “available for sale” means “simple to keep”. In Australia, rules vary by state and territory, and exotic species can also be affected by federal import and wildlife trade controls.
- Importing: If you are trying to bring a bird into Australia, you must meet Australian Government biosecurity requirements, and you may also need an environment permit under the EPBC framework depending on the species and listing status. If the species is not on the live import list, it generally can’t be imported.8
- Keeping birds: State rules differ, especially between native-bird licensing and exotic species. For example, NSW lists native birds that can be kept without a licence, and anything outside those lists can trigger different requirements. Use your state wildlife authority as the source of truth for your postcode, not social media advice.9
Final thoughts
A collared aracari in good conditions is a busy, branch-hopping presence—always watching, always sampling the world with its bill. The essentials are plain: generous space, a fruit-forward diet managed with care, strong hygiene, and a vet relationship that’s already in place before something goes wrong.
If you can’t offer an aviary-style setup, tolerate regular noise, or reliably manage diet details, this is usually not the right bird to “make work”. If you can, they can be absorbing companions—still unmistakably wild in their rhythms, but steady and liveable within a well-built routine.
References
- Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan) — Pteroglossus torquatus (collared aracari)
- BioDB — Collared aracari facts (length, weight, lifespan)
- Los Angeles Zoo — Green aracari (diet overview typical for aracaris)
- ScienceDirect Topics — Iron storage (includes toucan/softbill dietary notes and vitamin C effect on iron absorption)
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) overview
- PetMD — Iron storage disease in birds (risk factors and prevention overview)
- Australian Government DCCEEW — Psittacine circoviral (beak and feather) disease (key threatening process information)
- Australian Government Department of Agriculture — Importing your pet bird (biosecurity and environment permit pathway)
- NSW Environment & Heritage — Birds you don’t need a licence to keep (illustrates state-based licensing approach)
Veterinary Advisor, Veterinarian London Area, United Kingdom