Although the toucan with its colourful bill and the macaw, seen on the left have become the symbols of the tropical rainforest there is an increadible variety of other birds living there as well. Most of the insect eating birds live in the top, leafiest level of the rainforest, the canopy because Insects thrive in this leafy area. But all birds living in the rainforest are not insect eaters many of them dine upon the plentiful nectar from flowers and fruits from plants.
The world's largest eagle, the harpy eagle, is a resident of the rainforest, it will swoop down from the emergent layer of the rainforest and snatch monkeys and even small antelope from the forest.
The tiniest birds of the world, colourful and quick hummingbirds also make their home in the rainforest and help to pollinate plants. Another tiny resident of the rain forest is the tailorbird which got it's name from how it creates a support for it's nest by sewing together two sides of a leaf with a "thread" of spider silk and plant down.
The Quetzal, the sacred bird of the Mayan people, is adorned with emerald green and bright red feathers and has a meter long tail stretching behind it.
The Antbird seen on the right is also an interesting bird, especially the way in which it captures insects. The antbird will station themselves in front of advancing teams of army ants, not to eat the ants but rather to capture the insects that are fleeing from them. The insects trying to escape the army ants end up being lunch for the antbird.
The pitohui a common jay-size bird of the New Guinea rainforest has and increadible secret weapon against predators, it's flesh and feathers have a toxin in them that is increadibly deadly.
The male bowerbird could be seen as a small interior decorator, they will build "bowers"or tunnels of grass in which to court potential mates and they will decorate them with any blue object they can find: bits of glass, flowers, berries, and feathers have all been found adourning the walls and floor of their bower.
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