In this exercise, you will be using bird coloration to evaluate phylogeny, and will discuss color evolution. The following names link to pictures of toucans and barbets, tropical bird species. Work by R.O. Prum indicates that the color patterns of toucans are useful in studying toucan phylogeny. The goal of this assignment is to use the pictures to identify ten plumage characters to provide the basis for studying toucan phylogeny. The barbets are a group of birds that are related to toucans, but characters such as the large bill of the toucans and several molecular characters have indicated that all toucans are more related to each other than they are to barbets.
Barbets are thus appropriate to use as an outgroup for the toucans.
Click on the following to see pictures of toucans and barbets. The colors are the best that I could determine from field guide pictures and descriptions, but should not be considered entirely accurate.