The Spot Billed Toucanet (Selenidera maculirostris) is one of the seven lowland toucanets, all of which are dimorphic, and is of course related to the Guyana Toucanet - the only other Selenidera species in U.S. Aviculture. It is found in southern Brazil and northern Argentina and can be seen in Iguazu Falls National Park in both countries, which straddle their common border formed by the Parana River. Spot Bills were never common in U.S. aviculture and only five birds arrived in 1982 which were acquired by Jerry Jennings(www.emeraldforest birds.com), who first bred them in 1983. They bred prolifically the first 10 years in captivity but since then they declined and are very inbred. There may have been a couple birds imported by zoos in the past 15 years, but they never became available to private aviculture. Spot Bills lay 3-5 elliptical white eggs. Incubation lasts 16 days and young fledge at 6 weeks of age. Spot Bills are on CITES Appendix III and thus banned from commercial importation under the Wild Bird Conservation Act. While they are on Emerald Forest Bird Gardens Toucan Cooperative Breeding permit, the Brazilian and Argentine governments ban their export.

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