Resplendent Quetzal

Scientific Name: Pharomachrus mocinno

Classification: Order: Trogoniformes, Family: Trogonidae

Resplendent Quetzal

Brief Description

A strikingly colorful bird known for its brilliant green and red feathers and the male's long, flowing tail. It is shy and tends to sit motionless in the canopy.

Additional Information

  • Region of Origin: Central America, specifically from Southern Mexico to Western Panama
  • Typical Sighting Period: Year-round, with peak visibility during the breeding season from March to June
  • Plumage Details: Males have metallic green plumage with a red breast and elongated tail coverts that can grow up to 3 feet long. Females are duller, lacking the long tail and having a greyish-brown breast and green-and-yellow beak.
  • Ecological Significance: Key seed disperser for many tree species, particularly wild avocados (Lauraceae family), helping maintain cloud forest diversity.
  • Conservation Status: Near Threatened (IUCN); population is declining due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
  • Observation Tips: Look for them in cloud forests at heights between 4,000 and 10,000 feet. Listen for their distinctive 'cow-ee' call and watch for the flash of red underparts.

Size & Weight

Length: 36-40 cm (14-16 in) excluding tail; weight: 210 g (7.4 oz); males have tail streamers up to 65 cm (26 in) long.

Diet

Mainly fruit (especially wild laurels), but also eats insects, frogs, and lizards.

Habitat

Montane cloud forests and high-altitude evergreen forests with dense canopy.

Migration

Altitudinal migrant; moves to lower elevations during the non-breeding season in search of food.

Voice (Call & Song)

A deep, melodic 'kyow-kyow' or 'cow-ee', often repeated. Also makes sharp, crackling alarm calls.

Nesting & Breeding

Cavity nesters; they use woodpecker holes or rot-softened trees. Both parents incubate 2 eggs and care for the young.

Key Field Marks

Metallic green upperparts, bright crimson belly, white undertail, and for the male, twin tail streamers that extend well beyond the body.

Similar Species

Other Quetzal species (like the Pavonine or Golden-headed) lack the excessively long tail coverts and specific range of the Resplendent Quetzal.

Interesting Facts

The Resplendent Quetzal was considered sacred by the Aztecs and Mayans, representing the god Quetzalcoatl. It is the national bird of Guatemala and the name of their currency.