Eared Quetzal

Overview

Eared Quetzal: Large, small headed with long, broad tail. Black head, black-green back and breast. Black-blue tail is white underneath. Bright red belly and dark bill. The name "quetzal" is from an Aztec word, quetzalli, which translates to "large brilliant tail feather." AKA Eared Trogon.

Range and Habitat

Eared Quetzal: Found in mountainous woodlands and canyons of western Mexico. Occasionally found in canyons of southeast Arizona, one record from central Arizona.

INTERESTING FACTS

The Eared Quetzal was recently renamed, it was previously known as the Eared Trogon.
This species have been observed to exhibit aversion to large areas of conspicuous color on and near human observers, including white, red, orange, and blue.
This species was first described by John Gould, the English ornithologist, in 1838.

The Eared Quetzal has a small range, confined to parts of the United States and Mexico, where it is native. This bird prefers forest ecosystems though it has been known to reside in water degraded former forests. The global population of this bird is small and it is subject to dangers from heavy and frequent logging. This bird currently meets population size criteria that necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. The current evaluation status of the Eared Quetzal is Near Threatened.