Toucan Barbets

The toucan-barbets are a small group of birds within the genus Semnornis, comprising two species: the toucan barbet and the prong-billed barbet. They were previously grouped with other barbets but are now often considered a separate family, Semnornithidae, or sometimes as a subfamily within the toucan family, Ramphastidae. These robust barbets measure between 18 and 21 cm in length and have large, swollen bills, with the toucan barbet being both larger and heavier than the prong-billed barbet. Their plumage isn't strongly sexually dimorphic; the prong-billed barbet has orange-brown feathers, while the toucan barbet features a more striking pattern of black, red, grey, and gold. Native to the Neotropics, the prong-billed barbet is found in the humid highland forests of Costa Rica and Panama, while the toucan barbet inhabits similar environments in western Ecuador and Colombia, where they might also be seen in forest edges and secondary growth areas. Non-migratory, these birds stick close to their fledging areas. Toucan-barbets are social, seen in small groups or alone, are active during daylight, and start their days early, with the prong-billed barbet even sometimes sleeping communally outside the breeding season. Their diet is fruit-dominated, similar to that of toucans but includes insects, particularly for nestlings. They sometimes eat flowers and may occasionally feed vertebrates to their chicks. Both species are monogamous, with the prong-billed barbet defending its breeding territory and the toucan barbet receiving help from other birds when raising young.