Sumatran Trogon Apalharpactes mackloti Scientific name definitions

30 cm. Male has yellowish-green head and bluer green upperparts, yellow-barred wingpanel, deep chestnut rump, deep metallic blue tail; yellow throat and belly , pale greyish-green breastband; red bill , blue orbital ring , orange feet. Very similar to Javan Trogon (Apalharpactes reinwardtii), from which differs in smaller size, shorter tail, smaller bill, and chestnut rump. Female has barring on wingpanel buffier and narrower.

Has usually been treated as race of Javan Trogon (Apalharpactes reinwardtii), but differs by its smaller size (effect size for bill −3.15, tail −2.98; score 2); maroon-chestnut rump band vs all-green rump in male (3); narrower barring on wing panels in female (ns[1]); and presence of song (a high whistled wiwi wheeer-lu) vs apparently none (only a dry trill, also heard in mackloti, reported or recorded) (3) (1 Collar, N.J. and van Balen, S. (2002). The Blue-tailed Trogon Harpactes (Apalharpactes) reinwardtii: species limits and conservation status. Forktail. 18: 121-125. Close ); but subsequent photographic evidence indicates two further characters, namely all-yellow vs strong orange flanks (latter evidently fades rapidly on specimens) (2); and brighter, paler, more extensive naked blue skin around eye (ns[2]). Monotypic.

Mountains of Sumatra.

Occupies lower storey of montane rainforest, chiefly on lower slopes, in altitude range of 750–2,200 m.

Apparently sedentary.

Green caterpillars, grasshoppers, stick-insects, beetles, bugs; also fruits; once a lizard 10 cm long, taken from the ground.

Penetrating hoarse “chierr, chierr” or loud “turrr”, not apparently differing from that of Javan Trogon (Apalharpactes reinwardtii); song distinctive, a high whistled “wiwi whéeer-lu”, repeated every few seconds.

March; immatures collected in May and June. Eggs 1–2. No other information.

Not globally threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia EBA. Uncommon within range; formerly judged the least rare of all trogons on Sumatra, and very common on Kerinci.