Apaloderma narina
The Narina Trogon (Apaloderma narina) is a breathtakingly beautiful and enigmatic bird, a true jewel of the African forests. Males are particularly striking, adorned with iridescent emerald-green plumage on their head, back, and upper breast, contrasting sharply with a vivid crimson-red belly and undertail coverts. A band of white feathers often separates the green breast from the red abdomen. Their facial skin is a distinctive bright blue or turquoise, and they possess a short, stout, yellow...
Primarily found in dense evergreen and riverine forests, mature woodlands, and thickets, from sea level up to 3,700 meters (12,000 ft) in elevation.
Primarily insectivorous, consuming a wide variety of insects such as caterpillars, grasshoppers, beetles, moths, and mantises, occasionally supplementing with small reptiles or fruit.
Narina Trogons are largely diurnal, spending much of their day perched upright and motionless in the sub-canopy or mid-story, often overlooking potential prey. Their foraging strategy is a classic "perch-and-sally," where they remain still, darting out to snatch insects from foliage or in mid-air...
The Narina Trogon boasts a remarkably widespread distribution across sub-Saharan Africa, making it one of the most broadly dispersed trogon species globally. Its breeding and resident range extends from West Africa (e.g., Senegal, Gambia) eastwards through the humid equatorial forests of Central ...
Least Concern
- The name "Narina" was given in honor of Narina, a Khoikhoi woman with whom French ornithologist François Levaillant had a relationship, captivated by her beauty which he likened to the bird's. - Despite their dazzling colors, Narina Trogons are notoriously difficult to spot due to their habit o...