The toucan-barbets are small birds in the genus Semnornis. The genus was often included in the paraphyletic barbets, but recently is usually classified into a distinct family, Semnornithidae; alternatively, all barbets might be moved to the toucan family Ramphastidae as a subfamily, Semnornithinae. Toucan-barbets comprise only two species: the toucan barbet (S. ramphastinus) and the prong-billed barbet (S. frantzii).
Taxonomy
The phylogenetic relationship between the toucan-barbets and the eight other families in the order Piciformes is shown in the cladogram below. The number of species in each family is taken from the list maintained by Frank Gill, Pamela C. Rasmussen and David Donsker on behalf of the International Ornithological Committee (IOC).
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Piciformes
Galbuli
Galbulidae – jacamars (18 species)
Bucconidae – puffbirds (38 species)
Pici
Picides
Indicatoridae – honeyguides (16 species)
Picidae – woodpeckers (240 species)
Ramphastides
Megalaimidae – Asian barbets (35 species)
Lybiidae – African barbets (42 species)
Capitonidae – New World barbets (15 species)
Semnornithidae – toucan barbets (2 species)
Ramphastidae – toucans (43 species)
Description
The Semnornis barbets are fairly large barbets, measuring between 18 and 21 cm (7.1 and 8.3 in). The toucan barbet is larger than the prong-billed barbet and considerably heavier. They possess large, swollen bills and lack strong sexual dimorphism in their plumage. The plumage of the prong-billed barbet is orange-brown, and that of the toucan barbet is more distinctively patterned with black, red, grey and gold.
Distribution and habitat
The Semnornis toucan-barbets are found in the Neotropics. The prong-billed barbet is restricted to the humid highland forests of Costa Rica and Panama. The...
