Elegant Trogon

The elegant trogon (''Trogon elegans''), also known as the coppery-tailed trogon, is a near passerine bird in the trogon family.

Taxonomy

''T. elegans'' has five recognized subspecies, including the nominate subspecies:
*''T. e. elegans'' Gould, 1834
*''T. e. ambiguus'' Gould, 1835
*''T. e. canescens'' Van Rossem, 1934
*''T. e. goldmani'' Nelson, 1898
*''T. e. lubricus'' J. L. Peters, 1945
BirdLife International and Handbook of the Birds of the World consider ''T. e. ambiguus'' to be its own species, as ''Trogon ambiguus'', with ''Trogon elegans'' ''sensu stricto'' being the Central American population. The IUCN Red List follows this taxonomy, but Avibase and Clements do not.

Description

This species is long and weighs (average ). Like other trogons, elegant trogons have distinctive male and female plumages (sexual dimorphism), with soft feathers. Both sexes have a white undertail with fine horizontal black barring. The undertail also has large white tips spaced evenly ending in a black terminal band. Both have a yellow bill, orange-red undertail coverts and lower belly, and a white horizontal breast stripe.

The male elegant trogon has a metallic deep green head, upper breast and back, black face and throat, and red-orange lower breast and belly. He shows grey upperwing coverts. The female has a metallic bronze head, upper breast, back, upper tail and upperwing coverts. She shows a dull white upper belly, and a small white vertical stripe behind the eye.

Call

The usual call is a croaking "co-ah co-ah co-ah". The trogon will also include some chattering notes.

Conservation

The elegant trogon is listed as endangered in the state of New Mexico. It prefers to live in conditions that would favor the presence of pineoak woodlands and local water making it particularly susceptible to disturbance.

Diet

Elegant trogons feed on insects and fruit, often taken in flight. Their broad bills and weak legs reflect their diet and arboreal habits. Although their flight is fast, they are reluctant to fly any distance. They typically perch upright and motionless.

Breeding

It nests high in an unlined shallow cavity, usually selecting an old woodpecker hole, with a typical clutch of 2–3 eggs.

Distribution and habitat

Along with the eared quetzal, it is the northernmost species of trogon in the world, ranging from Guatemala in the south as far north as the upper Gila River in Arizona and New Mexico. The most northerly populations of the subspecies ''T. e. ambiguus'' are partially migratory,Elegant Trogon
at Encyclopedia of Life and the species is occasionally found as a vagrant in southeasternmost and western Texas. It is a resident of the lower levels of semi-arid open woodlands and forests.

References

* ''A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica'' by F. Gary Stiles, Alexander F. Skutch,
* ''Trogons And Quetzals Of The World'' by Paul A. Johnsgard,

External links

Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter

elegant trogon
Birds of El Salvador
Birds of Honduras
Birds of Nicaragua
elegant trogon
elegant trogon
Birds of the Sierra Madre Occidental

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