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Resplendent quetzal

Pharomachrus mocinno

Description:

This species is 36 to 40 cm (14–16 in) long, plus up to 65 cm (26 in) of tail streamer for the male, and weighs about 210 g (7.4 oz). It is the largest representative of the trogon order. The subspecies costaricensis is slightly smaller than the nominate race and has shorter narrower tail plumes. Resplendent quetzals have a green body (showing iridescence from green-gold to blue-violet) and red breast. Their green upper tail coverts hide their tails and in breeding males are particularly splendid, being longer than the rest of the body. The primary wing coverts are also unusually long and give a fringed appearance. The male has a helmet-like crest. The bill, which is partly covered by green filamentous feathers, is yellow in mature males and black in females. The skin of the quetzal is very thin and easily torn, so it has evolved thick plumage to protect its skin.[citation needed] Like other members of the trogon family, it has large eyes that adapt easily to the dim light of its forest home.

Habitat:

Their habitat is montane cloud forest from Southern Mexico to western Panama.

Notes:

Picture 3 from habitat.

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Benno Ibold
Spotted by
Benno Ibold

San José, San José, Costa Rica

Spotted on Jul 29, 2015
Submitted on Aug 16, 2015

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