ORLANDO, Fla. – A bright-beaked bird had onlookers doing a double-take in Orlando.
Alondra Gonzalez, who works at Dermi Wax Center on Conroy Windermere Road in Orlando, told News 6 she saw a toucan outside the salon.
“We are literally on Conroy Windermere Road, and there’s a toucan,” Gonzalez can be overheard saying in one of the videos.
“I was at a loss for words. I didn’t think I would see one ever in my life,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez spotted the toucan perched in a wooded area behind the salon and said she was able to get surprisingly close.
“Yeah, actually, I was, and it didn’t fly away. It did not,” she said. “I think it was somebody’s pet…it seemed a little afraid.”
She quickly snapped photos and videos and shared them in local community groups. The posts were soon reshared by bird sanctuaries and wildlife rescue organizations.
Gonzalez says she hasn’t seen the toucan since — and hopes it’s rescued soon.
It was not immediately clear where the toucan came from. Toucans are native to tropical rainforests and Neotropical regions of Central and South America.
Liz Lucassian is the Animal Care Supervisor of the Bird Department at ZooTampa and says after working with toucans in the past, it’s best to keep a close eye on them to prevent them from getting loose.
“If you do happen to have a toucan, you should probably be keeping it indoors or in a secure facility,” said Lucassian.
Lucassian says toucans primarily eat fruit but can also forage for small prey like lizards and worms.
“It depends on how domesticated it is,” Lucassian said when asked whether a pet toucan could survive in the wild. “Sometimes they still have the natural ability to find their own food.”
While Florida’s warm climate may not be a problem for the tropical bird, wildlife experts urge anyone who spots a nonnative species to report it to professionals.
Credible reports should include:
A clear, non-blurry photo that can be enlarged for ID
The exact location (GPS coordinates are best, but a street address or detailed description will do)
The date the animal was seen
Sightings of nonnative species can be reported using the free IveGot1 app, available for iPhone and Android, or via the web form at IveGot1.org.
You can also call the FWC’s Invasive Species Hotline at 888-Ive-Got1(483-4681) to report nonnative animals.
The Orlando toucan sighting follows a recent rescue in Las Vegas, where a toucan that had been seen flying around the city for months was finally saved, authorities and a rescue group said.
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