Semnornis

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Toucan-barbets
Semnornis ramphastinus.jpg
Toucan barbet (Semnornis ramphastinus)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Suborder: Pici
Infraorder: Ramphastides
Family: Semnornithidae
Prum, 1988
Genus: Semnornis
Richmond, 1900
Species

Semnornis frantzii
Semnornis ramphastinus

Synonyms

Pan (preoccupied) [1]
Tetragonops (preoccupied) [2]

The toucan-barbets are the small bird genus Semnornis. This was often included in the paraphyletic barbets but recently usually considered a distinct family Semnornithidae; alternatively, all barbets might be moved to the toucan family Ramphastidae as a subfamily, Semnornithinae. It contains only two species, the toucan barbet (S. ramphastinus) and the prong-billed barbet (S. frantzii).

Contents

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. [3] They possess large, swollen bills and lack strong sexual dimorphism in their plumage. [4] 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. [3]

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. [3]

Behaviour

The Semnornithidae are highly social, and may be seen either in small groups of up to five or six individuals, or as singles. [3] They are active during the day and are early risers. The prong-billed barbet sleeps in communal roosts at night in the non-breeding season. As many as 19 birds may roost together in a hole, either a modified nest or the abandoned nest of a woodpecker. During the breeding season pairs roost in their own nests. [5]

Diet and feeding

The diet of these two species is made up of fruits and insects. The ratio of the two is more similar to the toucans than other barbets and is dominated by fruits. A 1993 study of the stomach contents of these two species found only fruit. [6] 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. [3] They have also been recorded eating flowers. [5]

Breeding

Both species of toucan-barbet are monogamous breeders. Prong-billed barbets defend breeding territories from all others of their species. [5] Toucan barbets, on the other hand, have territories but are helped in raising the young by helpers. [7]

Species

ImageScientific nameCommon NameDistribution
Prong-billed Barbet.jpg Semnornis frantzii Prong-billed barbet Costa Rica and western Panama
Toucan Barbet (23405007136).jpg Semnornis ramphastinus Toucan barbet western Ecuador and Colombia

Related Research Articles

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The trogons and quetzals are birds in the order Trogoniformes which contains only one family, the Trogonidae. The family Trogonidae contains 46 species in seven genera. The fossil record of the trogons dates back 49 million years to the Early Eocene. They might constitute a member of the basal radiation of the order Coraciiformes and order Passeriformes or be closely related to mousebirds and owls. The word trogon is Greek for "nibbling" and refers to the fact that these birds gnaw holes in trees to make their nests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodpecker</span> Family of birds (Picidae)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piciformes</span> Order of birds

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-breasted nuthatch</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keel-billed toucan</span> Species of bird

The keel-billed toucan, also known as sulfur-breasted toucan, keel toucan, or rainbow-billed toucan, is a colorful Latin American member of the toucan family. It is the national bird of Belize. The species is found in tropical jungles from southern Mexico to Ecuador. It is an omnivorous forest bird that feeds on fruits, seeds, insects, invertebrates, lizards, snakes, and small birds and their eggs.

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The toco toucan is a species of bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is the largest species of toucan and has a distinctive appearance, with a black body, a white throat, chest and uppertail-coverts, and red undertail-coverts. Its most conspicuous feature is its massive beak, which is yellow-orange with a black base and large spot on the tip. It is endemic to South America, where it has a wide distribution from the Guianas south to northern Argentina and Uruguay, and its range has recently been expanding southwards. Unlike other toucans, which inhabit continuous forests, toco toucans inhabit a variety of semi-open habitats at altitudes of up to 1,750 m. They are especially common in the Brazilian cerrado, gallery forests, and the wetlands of the Pantanal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collared aracari</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toucan barbet</span> Species of bird

The toucan barbet is a barbet native to western Ecuador and Colombia. Along with the prong-billed barbet, it forms the family Semnornithidae, and is closely related to the toucans. It is a medium-sized barbet with a robust yellow bill. It has striking plumage, having a black head with grey throat and nape, red breast and upper belly, yellow lower belly and grey wings and tail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prong-billed barbet</span> Species of bird

The prong-billed barbet is a distinctive, relatively large-billed bird native to humid highland forest of Costa Rica and western Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiery-billed aracari</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hispaniolan woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The Hispaniolan woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broad-billed motmot</span> Species of bird

The broad-billed motmot is a fairly common Central and South American bird of the Momotidae family. They are nonmigratory, sedentary birds that are most frequently seen in singles or pairs. There exist six subspecies of the broad-billed motmot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-breasted woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The grey-breasted woodpecker is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is endemic to the interior of southwestern Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pale-mandibled aracari</span> Species of bird

The pale-mandibled aracari or pale-billed araçari is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Ecuador and Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Many-banded aracari</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuban green woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The Cuban green woodpecker is a species of woodpecker in the family Picidae and tribe Melanerpini, known locally in Cuban Spanish as carpintero verde. It is the only species within the genus Xiphidiopicus and is one of two woodpeckers endemic to Cuba. It is the most widespread and common woodpecker in Cuba, inhabiting primarily woodlands, as well as dry and wet forests, pine forests and mangroves. The population of the Cuban green woodpecker is stable and its status is listed as "Least Concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pavonine quetzal</span> Species of bird

The pavonine quetzal is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae, the trogons. It is also known at the peacock trogon, red-billed train bearer, or viuda pico rojo in Spanish. The pavonine quetzal lives in the Neotropics, more specifically in the northern region of the Amazon basin, spreading from Colombia to Bolivia. The most notable characteristics helpful in identifying this bird are its plumage, red beak, and its distribution - it is the only quetzal occupying the lowland rainforest east of the Andes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toucan</span> Family of birds

Toucans are Neotropical members of the near passerine bird family Ramphastidae. The Ramphastidae are most closely related to the American barbets. They are brightly marked and have large, often colorful bills. The family includes five genera and over 40 different species.

References

  1. Richmond, Chas (1899). "New Name for the Genus Tetragonops" (PDF). Auk. 16 (1): 77.
  2. Richmond, Charles W. (1900). "Some Necessary Changes in Nomenclature". Auk. 17 (2): 178–179. doi:10.2307/4069180. JSTOR   4069180.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Horne, J; Short, L (2002). "Family Capitonidae (Barbets)". In del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 7, Jacamars to Woodpeckers. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. pp.  218–219. ISBN   978-84-87334-37-5.
  4. Ripley, S Dillon (1945). "The Barbets". The Auk. 62 (4): 542–563. doi: 10.2307/4079804 . JSTOR   4079804.
  5. 1 2 3 Skutch, Alexander (1944). "The Life-History of the Prong-Billed Barbet". Auk. 61 (1): 61–88. doi: 10.2307/4079597 . JSTOR   4079597.
  6. Remsen Jr., J.V.; Hyde, Mary Ann; Chapman, Angela (1993). "The Diets of Neotropical Trogons, Motmots, Barbets and Toucans". The Condor. 95 (1): 178–192. doi:10.2307/1369399. JSTOR   1369399.
  7. Restrepo, Carla; Monddragon, Marta (1998). "Cooperative Breeding in the Frugivorous Toucan barbet (Semnornis ramphastinus)" (PDF). The Auk. 115 (1): 4–15. doi:10.2307/4089106. JSTOR   4089106.

Further reading