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The Elegant Trogon

© Fred J. Kane

The Elegant Trogon There are about forty different species of Trogons throughout the world. Other Trogons throughout the world are:

Narina Trogon, Apaloderma narina Bare-cheeked Trogon, Apaloderma aequatoriale Bar-tailed Trogon, Apaloderma vittatum Cuban Trogon, Priotelus temnurus Hispaniolan Trogon, Priotelus roseigaster Black-headed Trogon, Trogon melanocephalus Citreoline Trogon, Trogon citreolus White-tailed Trogon, Trogon viridis Baird's Trogon, Trogon bairdii Violaceous Trogon, Trogon violaceus Mountain Trogon, Trogon mexicanus White-eyed Trogon, Trogon comptus Collared Trogon, Trogon collaris Orange-bellied Trogon, Trogon aurantiiventris Masked Trogon, Trogon personatus Black-throated Trogon, Trogon rufus Surucua Trogon, Trogon surrucura Blue-crowned Trogon, Trogon curucui Black-tailed Trogon, Trogon melanurus Slaty-tailed Trogon, Trogon massena Lattice-tailed Trogon, Trogon clathratus Eared Trogon, Euptilotis neoxenus Resplendent Quetzal, Pharomachrus mocinno Crested Quetzal, Pharomachrus antisianus White-tipped Quetzal, Pharomachrus fulgidus Pavonine Quetzal, Pharomachrus pavoninus Blue-tailed Trogon, Harpactes reinwardtii Malabar Trogon, Harpactes fasciatus Red-naped Trogon, Harpactes kasumba Diard's Trogon, Harpactes diardii Philippine Trogon, Harpactes ardens Whitehead's Trogon, Harpactes whiteheadi Scarlet-rumped Trogon, Harpactes duvaucelii Red-headed Trogon, Harpactes erythrocephalus Orange-breasted Trogon, Harpactes oreskios Ward's Trogon, Harpactes wardi Golden-headed Quetzal, Pharomachrus auriceps Cinnamon-rumped Trogon, Harpactes orrhophaeus

This article speaks about he Elegant Trogon. The trogon was almost wiped out by collectors who wanted the feathers fifty years ago.

Helmut Sick says that "the trogons are a small group of birds with splendid plumage. Males have much brighter plumage on top with glistening greens and blues." Trogons have soft, colorful, feathers with definite male and female plumage. As an adult bird the Trogon stands about ten to fourteen inches tall with short rounded gray wings a short yellow, wide beak, short neck and large eyes that help the bird to find food in the dark woodlands and a red eye ring. On its face it has a black mask and a dull colored eye ring, a green chest, head and back. Across its chest it has a white stripe, and its stomach and the bottom of its tail is red. Their long tail is squared at the end. The female's plumage is paler than the male's.

They generally perch stiff and straight on a sycamore tree branch or on some stream side tree. If a trogon spots a person watching them they will keep its back to a bird watcher, showing its dainty sheen and the square tipped, greenish, blue tail.

Trogons are birds of the woods, inhabiting areas in the lowlands to the mountain forests. Trogon live in pairs or alone, Only one species regularly reaches the United States, the Elegant Trogon inhabits only the areas in Southeastern Arizona. There is a healthy population of Trogons in Central America too. They also inhabit territories in Africa, the Orient, Costa Rica, Mexico, Malaysia, Cuba, the Canal Zone, Panama, Borneo, the Dominican Republic, and the Philippines.

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