Beak is yellow-orange in color, tending to a deeper reddish-orange in the lower parts, with a black base and a large spot on the tip. The bill measures 15.8 to 23 centimeters (6 to 9 inches) and accounts for nearly one-third of the bird's length. It makes up 30 to 50% of its body surface area, although the Sword-billed hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera) has a longer beak relative to its body length (the only bird whose beak is longer than the rest of its body, excluding the tail).
The beak looks heavy, but like those of other toucans, it is relatively light because its interior is largely hollow. It has an openwork structure made up of a network of bony beams.
