Naming
The binomial commemorates the German naturalist Alexander von Frantzius.It often has been placed with the other barbets in the Capitonidae. However, DNA studies have confirmed that this arrangement is paraphyletic; New World barbets are more closely related to toucans than they are to Old World barbets. As a result, the barbet lineages are considered distinct families; the prong-billed barbet and the toucan barbet now form a separate family, Semnornithidae.
Behavior
Flight is direct with rapid and buzzy wingbeats. The frequently heard and distinctive song is a throaty "cwa-cwa-cwa-cwa..." duet given by mated pair or two individuals in a group.Habitat
The prong-billed barbet prefers cool, wet, moss-festooned mountain forest with large trees and adjacent habitat.Reproduction
Pairs nest March–May in an unlined woodpecker cavity, with 4–5 eggs in the nest.Food
It eats mainly fruits of trees and epiphytes, although it occasionally takes insects or flower petals.References:
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