50 Curious Stories from the Global Village

Author: Wang Jingke, Li Xiao, Sun Yuhua / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The toucan, when you see this bird with such a large beak on the screen, you might exclaim in surprise, "What a big beak!" It is called the toucan precisely because it has such a large beak. This photo was taken by a photographer of a toucan in the suburbs of San José, the capital of Costa Rica, at dawn. Toucans are commonly found in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America, centered around the Amazon River. There are many species of toucans, and their large beaks are their defining feature. Some large toucans have beaks as long as 20 cm. Don't think that because they have such a big beak, they can eat many hard fruits or use their large beak as a weapon for self-defense. In fact, that's not the case. Their beaks are both light and fragile, unable to break through hard fruit shells or serve as weapons to fight with other animals. However, they can use this as a distinct feature of bird survival, making it clear to people that there is a type of toucan among birds, nearly 50 cm in body length, but with a beak as long as 20 cm. Due to its large beak, its movements are slow, and its personality is leisurely, not hurried or restless.
The red-necked birdwing butterfly in the Gunung Palawan National Park on Borneo has a butterfly with wingspans like a bird's wings, measuring up to 20 cm, and a red neck, making it another large butterfly, hence the name "red-necked birdwing butterfly." Its habitat is the wetlands of forests with piles of dead leaves near rivers, and its food source is special minerals. Due to the red of its neck and the glass-like shimmer of its wings, it flutters in the tropical rainforest, even in the dim light of the day, leaving a deeply impressive impression on those who see it. P68-69