Resplendent quetzal

The resplendent quetzal is a vividly colored trogon native to Central American cloud forests. Breeding males grow long tail-coverts and the bird holds deep significance in several Mesoamerican cultures.

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Trogon: A bird in the family Trogonidae, typically with colorful plumage and a distinctive arrangement of toes. The resplendent quetzal belongs to this family of forest birds.
Courtship display: A behavior used by an animal to attract or assess a potential mate. Males use their elongated plumage and aerial movements during courtship.
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve: A protected cloud-forest reserve in Costa Rica’s Tilarán Mountains. Its forests are a renowned site for observing and conserving resplendent quetzals.
Quetzal (Mesoamerican symbol): A bird associated with preciousness, sacred power, and rulership in several Mesoamerican cultures. The living species inspired enduring cultural associations with its brilliant feathers.
Cloud forest: A montane forest frequently enveloped in low cloud or mist, supporting moisture-dependent plants and animals. This humid highland habitat sustains many resplendent quetzal populations.
Cavity-nesting bird: A bird that lays eggs and raises young in a hollow in a tree or other enclosed space. Quetzals nest in tree cavities, often excavating rotten wood or using existing hollows.
Mesoamerican Biological Corridor: A regional conservation initiative connecting protected areas and habitats across Central America and southern Mexico. Connected forest habitats can support quetzal movement between fragmented reserves.
Quetzal (currency): The national currency of Guatemala, named after the country’s emblematic bird. Guatemala’s currency name and design connect national identity to the quetzal.
Tail covert: A feather that covers the base of a bird’s tail or flight feathers. The male’s spectacular streamers are elongated upper-tail coverts, not ordinary tail feathers.
Avocado: The fruit of trees in the genus Persea, including species native to Central American forests. Wild Persea fruits are a major food source for resplendent quetzals.