Semnornis

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). }} ==Description==

The Semnornis barbets are fairly large barbets, measuring between . The toucan barbet is larger than the prong-billed barbet and considerably heavier. 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 toucan barbet is found in similar habitats in the western montane forests of Ecuador and Colombia. In addition to primary forest they may occupy forest edges and secondary growth. Neither species is migratory, and young birds do not appear to disperse very far after fledging; young toucan barbets only disperse 0.5 km. ==Behaviour==

The Semnornithidae are highly social, and may be seen either in small groups of up to five or six individuals, or as singles. Fruits may be eaten whole, held in the foot and broken and eaten, or crushed and only the juices eaten. Insects are more common in the diet of nestlings, and compose 40% of the food brought to the nest in toucan-barbets. Toucan-barbets may also feed their chicks small numbers of vertebrates. Breeding Both species of toucan-barbet are monogamous breeders. Prong-billed barbets defend breeding territories from all others of their species. ==Species==