What are Quetzals?
Quetzals are strikingly coloured birds that belong to the trogon family. These are found in the forests, especially in the regions of humid highlands. There are two genera, where five of these species belong to the genus Pharomachrus which are being exclusively Neotropical. While another genus is Euptilotis that containing a single species called the eared quetzal is found in the regions of Mexico and very locally in the southernmost areas of the United States. Quetzals are fairly large birds that are about all over 32 cm long, slightly bigger when compared to the other trogon species. The resplendent quetzal is considered the national bird of Guatemala due to its vibrant colour.
The name quetzal means "large brilliant tail feather" or "tail-coverts of the quetzal". Quetzals have attractive feathers which are iridescent green or golden-green in colour where the wing covers the parts of the back, chest, and head, with a red belly. They are sexually dimorphic. These are largely solitary birds that feed on berries, fruits, insects, and other small vertebrates such as frogs. Even with their famous bright plumage, they can be hard to see in their natural wooded habitats.
Resplendent Quetzal
The word quetzal was originally used for the resplendent quetzal only, the long-tailed quetzal of Guatemala, which is considered as the national bird, and the name of the currency that is used in Guatemala. All the five species are:
White-tipped quetzal (P. fulgidus)
Crested quetzal (P. antisianus)
Golden-headed quetzal (P. auriceps)
Resplendent quetzal (P. mocinno)
Pavonine quetzal (P. pavoninus)
The resplendent quetzal scientific name is Pharomachrus mocinno it is a bird that belongs to the trogon family. It is found in the regions of Chiapas, Mexico to western Panama. There are two subspecies, Pharomachrus mocinno mocinno, and Pharomachrus mocinno costaricensis. The resplendent quetzal was first described by a Mexican naturalist named Pablo de La Llave in the year 1832. The term quetzal was used originally only for this species but now it is applied to all the members of the genera Pharomachrus and Euptilotis. The resplendent quetzal species play a vital role in several types of Mesoamerican mythology. As it is the national bird of the Guatemala region, its image is found on the flag of the country's flag and coat of arms,
Resplendent quetzals have a green body and the chest part is red in colour. Depending on the intensity of light, quetzal feathers can shine by giving variants of colours such as lime, green, cobalt, yellow, to ultramarine. Their green upper tail coverts help to hide their tails and whereas the breeding males are particularly splendid and the tail is longer than the rest of the body. Though quetzal plumages appear in green colour, due to the melanin pigment, these are brown in colour. The male quetzals have a helmet-like crest. The beak or hooked bill is covered partly by green filamentous feathers, it is yellow in colour in mature males and black in mature females. Their iridescent feathers can make them appear shiny and green colour canopy leaves, which are a camouflage adaptation to hide them within the canopy during rainy weather.
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Resplendent Quetzal Description
The resplendent quetzal is considered among the world's most beautiful birds by many of them. These vibrantly coloured birds live in the areas of the mountainous, tropical forest regions of Central America where these can eat insects, fruit, lizards, and some other small creatures. Let us see the
Size: It is the largest representative animal of the trogon order. These species are about 36 to 40 cm long. In the nominate species, the tail streamers can measure between 31 cm to 100.5 cm in length. The average length of male birds is about 75 cm of the tail streamer, and these weigh about 210 g. Whereas the subspecies costaricensis is found slightly smaller in size than compared to the nominate race. Quetzal plumes are shorter and narrower and these can measure between 32 cm and 86 cm in length.
Tail Feathers and Colouring: During the mating season the male quetzals can grow twin tail feathers that form an amazing train that can measure up to three feet long. Females don’t have any long trains, but these can share different colours, quetzal colours are green, brilliant blue, and red colouring of their mates. But the colours of the male tend to be more vibrant.
Feeding: Resplendent quetzals are considered the specialized fruit-eaters, even though their diet includes insects, frogs, and lizards. Particularly important diest is wild avocados and other fruits that belong to the laurel family. Quetzals can feed more frequently at the time of the midday hours. The adults prefer to eat a more fruit-based diet than that of the chicks who primarily eat insects and some fruits. Over 50 percent of the fruit they consume comes from the family Lauraceae. In order to pick the fruits selectively near the tips of the branches these quetzals use several methods of "hovering" and "stalling".
Reproduction: Resplendent quetzals are capable to create their nests over 200 feet up in the air and these can make specific calls. There are six specific vocal calls that have been recorded these include gee-gee, two-note whistle, wec-wec, wahc-ah-wahc, uwac, coouee whistle, chatter, and buzzing. The two-note whistle call is related to the territorial behaviour of the males, while the coouee whistle is found as a mating call. Resplendent quetzals when not breeding usually live alone. They also undergo breeding seasonally, with the usual breeding season is from March to April for the Mexican quetzal, May to June in the regions of El Salvador and March to May in the regions of Guatemala. During the breeding season, the females can lay up to two eggs which are pale blue in colour. These eggs are placed in a nest that is built in a hole that is carved in a rotten tree. Resplendent quetzals always tend to lay two clutches (means a total number of eggs laid per nesting session) and these are known to have a high rate of nest failure. The nest failure occurs by a tree that is in the stage of decomposition is more susceptible to damage due to weather, and the suitable trees that are available for the building of a nest may limit the resplendent quetzal population.
During the period of incubation, both the parents with their long tail-covert feathers get folded forwards over the back and push them out of the hole. Where this makes the hole look like a bunch of ferns is growing out of the hole it does so to protect the eggs from predators. The incubation period can last about 18 days, during this period the male quetzal can generally incubate the eggs during day time while the female can incubate them at night time. When the eggs get hatched, both of the parents take care of the young chicks, these feed them fruits, insects, berries, lizards, and small frogs. However, at the end of the rearing period, the female often neglects the chicks and even abandons the young, by leaving them to the male to continue caring for the offspring until these chicks are ready to survive on their own.
Conservation: The resplendent quetzal is endangered and due to habitat loss it is near threatened to get extinct on the IUCN Red List. However, it is found to occur in several protected areas throughout the protected range and is a species that can be sought by birdwatchers and ecotourists.
Relationship With Humans
The resplendent quetzal was considered divine by Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilizations, it is also associated with the "snake god", Quetzalcoatl. Its iridescent green-coloured tail feathers symbolize plant growth during spring. The quetzal in Aztecs and quetzal in Maya are respected by the ancient people, who viewed these species as the "god of the air" and as a symbol of light and goodness. The quetzal in Maya is also viewed as the symbol of freedom and wealth.
The headdresses are worn by mesoamerican rulers and some nobility of other ranks that are made from quetzal feathers, this symbolically connects them to Quetzalcoatl. Since it was a crime to harm or kill a quetzal, the bird was captured and the feathers from its long tail are plucked and were set free. In several of the Mesoamerican languages, the term quetzal means sacred, precious, or erected. Until recently, it was found that the quetzal birds could not be bred or held for any longer period of time in captivity, and it was also noted that they usually kill themselves soon after they have been captured or caged.
FAQs on Quetzal
1. Describe the Resplendent Quetzal.
Answer: The quetzal is a bird that is considered the world’s most beautiful bird. Let us know more about them:
The mating occurs seasonally, during this season the male quetzals involve in the growth of twin tail feathers that turn up to form an amazing train that can measure up to one meter long. Whereas the females lack these long trains.
Quetzal birds use their powerful beaks to create a hollow hole nest inside the rotted trees or stumps.
Young quetzals birds can start to fly at about three weeks of their age.
Quetzals are called Guatemalan quetzals, as these birds are considered as their national birds and it is used as a symbol of that nation in their country’s flag and as well in their arms.
The bird was considered a sacred bird to the ancient people in the regions of Maya and Aztec, and mesoamerican royals wore the bird’s feathers during the ceremonies.
Sometimes these can be trapped for captivity or killed, these are been added to the list of endangered species.
2. What Does Quetzal Eat?
Answer: Many of them consider resplendent quetzal as the world’s most beautiful bird. These are found in the tropical forest regions of Central America. They consume insects, fruits, lizards, and some other small animals.
3. Write Down the Significance of Guatemala.
Answer: The quetzal is considered the national bird of the Guatemala region because of its connection with freedom. The symbol of the bird is found on the coat of arms, of the Guatemala country. It is also found displayed on the Order of Quetzal, which is the highest decoration of the country. The currency in Guatemala is known as the quetzal. In the Guatemala region, the image of quetzal is present on the surfaces on the flag, and postage stamps. This special attention that was given to the quetzal species by Guatemala people has been detrimental to the species, as many of them desire to capture the bird to kill or display it, rather than preserving it in its natural habitat.
