Goldkopftrogon

Bestimmung

The golden-headed quetzal weighs between 154-182g. It has a wingspan of 30–36 cm and a length of 33–36 cm with tail plumes adding another 8–10 cm. Like other members of the genus Pharomachrus, the golden-headed quetzal is known for its iridescent golden-green wings and breast, which can appear blue depending on the light. The female's breast is a duller brownish colour; her head is also a duller golden-brown when compared to the male's gold-bronze head, from which the species name is derived. Their bills are short and broad; they appear yellow in males and a brownish greyish in females. The quetzal's uppertail coverts are darker green and extend beyond the tip of the tail, more so in the male than in the female. Both the male and the female have a black undertail, though the female sometimes displays greyish-black tips. The feathers on the lower breast of both sexes are a brilliant red colour. Both sexes, like other trogons, also have heterodactyl feet, with the first and second toes facing backwards and the third and fourth toes facing forward. Their legs and feet are an olive green or a brownish colour. The young golden-headed quetzal is a brownish black colour with a few iridescent green feathers on the neck and breast, and lacking the tail coverts of the adult. The golden-headed male quetzal differs from other quetzals in its lack of a crest of head feathers.<p>P. a. hargitti is distinguished from the nominate race by its longer tail and slightly more golden colour.

Taxonomie

The golden-headed quetzal, also known by the Spanish name pilco real, was first described by John Gould in the 2nd edition of A Monograph of the Trogonidae or family of Trogons published in 1875. It is one of five birds in the genus Pharomachrus, known as quetzals, and is included in the family Trogonidae, which is made up of birds found in tropical rainforests worldwide.<p>The word quetzal comes from the Nahuatl (the Aztec language) word quetzalli (from the root quetz meaning "stand"), which translates to "long green plume" or "tail feather of the quetzal". Quetzal is usually specifically used to refer to the resplendent quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) first described by Pablo de la Llave in 1832 but in reality it applies to all members of the genera Pharomachrus and Euptilotis.<p>Pharomachrus, coined by Pablo de la Llave, stems from Ancient Greek pharos meaning "mantle" or "cloak" and makros meaning "long" in reference to the impressive tail of the resplendent quetzal.<p>Two subspecies are recognized, P. a. auriceps (Gould, 1842) and P. a. hargitti (Oustalet, 1891). The species name, auriceps, comes from Latin aurum meaning "gold" and ceps meaning "crowned" or "headed", in reference to the golden head of Pharomachrus auriceps.

Wissenschaftlicher Name

Pharomachrus auriceps

Autorität

(Gould, 1842)

Ordnung

Trogoniformes

Familie

Laufhühner

Gattung

Pharomachrus

Verbreitung und Lebensraum

Golden-headed quetzals inhabit areas of Central and South America. P. a. auriceps is found in eastern Panama (Cerro Pirre mountain) as well as in the Andes spanning from southern Colombia to eastern Peru and northern Bolivia. P. a. hargitti is only found in the Andes of Venezuela.<p>Their natural habitat is most commonly humid and wet moderate-elevation montane and foothill forests although they have also been seen less frequently on the forest edge and in clearings as well as in temperate cloud forests and elfin forests. They reside at elevations ranging from 1200m to 3100m.

Zugverhalten

Standvogel

Verhalten

Zugverhalten: Standvogel.

Schutzstatus

Bestandstrend: rückläufig.

Bestandstrend

rückläufig