Female © Jorge Muñoz García CAQUETA BIRDING
Male © Jorge Muñoz García CAQUETA BIRDING
Female © Luis Eduardo Camacho Legro
Female © Jay McGowan
+ 2
Male and female © Juan Pablo Arboleda

Crested Quetzal Pharomachrus antisianus

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Identification

POWERED BY MERLIN

Large trogon, shimmering emerald above with red belly. Male has a puffy tuft of feathers protruding from the forehead and clean white undertail which helps distinguish from similar Golden-headed Quetzal. Female has a brown head and mostly brown belly with a limited amount of green on the chest and red undertail coverts and lower belly. In all plumages, note red eye. Uncommon in subtropical forests and edges, often at slightly lower elevations than Golden-headed, but plenty of overlap. Tends to perch stolidly in the subcanopy and can be difficult to spot. Most often seen in the vicinity of a fruiting tree, singly or in pairs, although sometimes several birds can gather at a food source. Listen for mournful whistled song: “whoo, whoop,” given in widely spaced pairs, with emphasis on second note.

POWERED BY MERLIN