Harpactes oreskios
The Orange-breasted Trogon, *Harpactes oreskios*, is a captivating member of the Trogonidae family, renowned for its brilliant plumage and cryptic forest existence across Southeast Asia. Measuring 25-31 cm in length and weighing between 40-66 grams, males sport a vibrant orange-yellow breast and belly, contrasting with an olive-brown back and head, a distinct black throat, and an arresting pale blue bill base framed by a striking blue orbital ring. Their long, graduated tail is tipped with wh...
Found primarily in tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, and occasionally secondary growth, from lowlands up to 1500 meters in elevation.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a wide array of insects including caterpillars, crickets, beetles, and mantises, supplemented by small fruits and berries, caught via sallying from a perch.
Orange-breasted Trogons are diurnal, typically spending long periods perched motionless within the forest understory, often at eye-level, before making short, direct sallies. Their foraging strategy involves snatching insects in mid-air or gleaning them from foliage, characterized by their 'sit-a...
The Orange-breasted Trogon is widely distributed across mainland Southeast Asia and parts of the Greater Sunda Islands. Its breeding and resident range encompasses southern Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, extending south through the Malay Peninsula into Sumatra, Borneo, and Java i...
Least Concern
- Despite their brilliant plumage, Orange-breasted Trogons are notoriously difficult to spot in dense forest, often only revealed by their calls. - Like all trogons, they possess heterodactyl feet, meaning two toes point forward and two point backward, a unique adaptation among birds for gripping...