Collared Aracari (Pteroglossus torquatus) [XC742007]
by Olivier SWIFT, GROSSELET Manuel from El Valle de Ant\u00f3n, Cocl\u00e9 Province, Panama (song)
(Pteroglossus torquatus) [XC489619]
by Enrique Varela from La Selva, Sarapiqui, Heredia, Costa Rica (call)
Subspecies
Collared Aracari (Pteroglossus torquatus), Stripe-billed Aracari (Pteroglossus sanguineus) and Pale-billed Aracari (Pteroglossus erythropygius) (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) have been lumped into i>P. torquatus following SACC (2006) and a review by the BirdLife Taxonomic Working Group.
Forms a superspecies with Fiery-billed Aracari (Pteroglossus frantzii). Although not in full contact, these two have hybridized, and they may be conspecific. Both belong to the Collared Aracari (Pteroglossus torquatus) group", which also includes Black-necked Aracari (Pteroglossus aracari), Chestnut-eared Aracari (Pteroglossus castanotis) and Many-banded Aracari (Pteroglossus pluricinctus), all these species being closely related. Southern subspecies sanguineus and erythropygius sometimes considered to represent one or two additional species, but they interbreed to a significant extent with each other in south-western Colombia and north-western Ecuador, as also does sanguineus with nominate torquatus in eastern Panama and north-western Colombia, so they are better treated as subspecies of present species. In addition, subspecies nuchalis intergrades with sanguineus. Birds from south-eastern Mexico (Chiapas), described as esperanzae, now lumped within nominate torquatus. Those from north-western Venezuela, named as subspecies pectoralis, now included in nuchalis.
The following 5 subspecies are recognised:
torquatus (Gmelin, 1788) - East-central Mexico south to north-western corner of Colombia.
erythrozonus Ridgway, 1912 - Yucatán Peninsula, south to Belize and north-eastern Guatemala.
nuchalis Cabanis, 1862 - North-eastern Colombia (area of Santa Marta Mts) and mountains of northern Venezuela.
sanguineus Gould, 1854 - Western Colombia, north-western Ecuador.