Time Is Running Out for Escaped Toucan in Las Vegas
A toucan named Sam is spotted in Las Vegas, Feb. 13, 2026. (Katherine Eddington via AP)
A runaway toucan has been delighting—and worrying—residents in southern Nevada after months surviving on its own in an environment far from its tropical home.
Katherine Eddington was driving through North Las Vegas last week when she noticed what looked like a large black bird carrying a banana gliding over an intersection. On closer inspection, she realized it was a toucan, a rainforest species native to Central and South America. “They’re beautiful birds, so being able to see something like that so close to home was fascinating,” Eddington said. Recognizing the bird from social media posts, she contacted animal rescuers.
The toucan, named Sam, has been loose in the area since November, when a resident reported online that he had escaped from a cage. Since then, sightings shared by local birdwatchers have turned him into a minor celebrity around Las Vegas.
But rescuers say Sam’s freedom is becoming dangerous. “I’m really worried about him,” said Skye Marsh, president and co-founder of SouthWest Exotic Avian Rescue. The group has spent months trying to capture the bird, often locating him high—sometimes 50 feet up—in palm trees, where retrieval is difficult. Marsh said they have not been able to contact Sam’s owner.
Experts warn that the desert climate is unsuitable for a toucan. University of Nevada, Las Vegas biologist Donald Price, who studies how winged species adapt to environments, said the region’s scorching summers and chilly winters pose serious risks to a tropical bird.
Marsh, who keeps two toucans herself, said Sam is already showing signs of decline: sunken eyes and discoloration around his beak. She believes he initially survived on figs and pomegranates from neighborhood trees in the Los Prados area, about 15 miles from the Las Vegas Strip. With those fruits now gone, he has turned to citrus, which can be harmful to toucans because their livers cannot properly process the minerals. “This bird is not in good shape,” Marsh said.
Bird specialists are surprised Sam has lasted this long. Escaped exotic birds often struggle to find food and avoid predators, and Las Vegas’ temperature swings likely add further stress.
Recently, Sam has been spotted repeatedly in the same spot—an indication, Marsh said, that he is losing strength. Rescuers have set up a baited cage nearby and asked residents to stop feeding him. Although Sam has inspected the trap, he flees whenever people approach. Marsh urged neighbors not to try to capture him themselves. “The more people that are out there, the worse it’s going to be because he doesn’t like people,” she said. “So just let us do our thing, and we’ll get him.”
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