Trogon elegans
The Elegant Trogon (Trogon elegans) is a breathtakingly beautiful species, measuring 11-12.5 inches (28-32 cm) long with a weight of 60-70 grams. Males are stunning, featuring an iridescent coppery-green dorsal plumage, a brilliant scarlet-red belly, and a clean white breast band. Their head is dark, adorned with a distinctive blue orbital ring and a robust yellow bill. Females, while attractive, are less vivid, exhibiting bronzy-brown upperparts, a duller red belly, and a brownish head with ...
Primarily inhabits sycamore, oak, and pine-oak woodlands within semi-arid canyon riparian areas and montane forests, typically at mid-elevations of 1,000-2,000 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on large insects such as caterpillars, cicadas, beetles, and grasshoppers, supplemented significantly by fruits like wild berries, hackberries, figs, and small wild avocados, caught through aerial sallies or gleaning from foliage.
Elegant Trogons are diurnal, often observed perching motionless for extended periods in the mid-story of dense woodlands, seemingly camouflaged by their vibrant plumage before an abrupt flight. They typically roost individually or in small family groups within natural tree cavities. Their primary...
The Elegant Trogon's northernmost breeding range extends into southeastern Arizona and a small portion of southwestern New Mexico in the United States. From there, its distribution continues southward through Mexico, encompassing states like Sonora, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, Jalisco, Michoacán...
Least Concern
- The Elegant Trogon is the only trogon species regularly found breeding within the United States, making it a star attraction for US birders. - Its foot structure is heterodactyl, meaning two toes point forward and two backward, a unique adaptation among birds. - They are often called the "Coppe...