Crested Quetzal
Pharomachrus antisianus
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.
Identification
Adult birds are .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);clip-path:polygon(0px 0px,0px 0px,0px 0px);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}33–34 cm (13–13+1⁄2 in) long. The head and upperparts of the adult male are metallic green, while its breast and belly are red. Alone among the quetzals, the male has a short crest above its short bill, which is orange. The vent is white. Females have brown heads and upper breast and no crest.
Taxonomy
French naturalist Alcide d'Orbigny described the crested quetzal in 1837 as Trogon antisianus. The species name is derived from Antis, a Latinised version of the Andes, ultimately from anti, an Incan word for copper. It is closely related to the resplendent quetzal (P. mocinno).<p>It is one of five species of the genus Pharomachrus known as quetzals. The term "quetzal" was originally used for just the resplendent quetzal, but is now applied to all members of the genera Pharomachrus and Euptilotis.
- Scientific name
- Pharomachrus antisianus
- Authority
- (d'Orbigny, 1837)
- Order
- Trogoniformes
- Family
- Trogonidae
- Genus
- Pharomachrus
Range and habitat
The crested quetzal is found along the Andes from Bolivia through Ecuador, Peru and Colombia to Venezuela, in pristine and mature second-growth forest from 1,200–3,000 m (4,000–10,000 ft) in altitude. It has been rated as least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as it has a large range and its population appears to be stable.
- Migration
- Vertical migration
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Olive Flycatcher
Mitrephanes olivaceus
A perky, pewee-like flycatcher found in humid forest along the east slope of the Andes. The combination of its small size, buffy-olive plumage, and obvious crest is unique within its range. Often perches in a conspicuous location, looking around excitedly for insects to chase, and readily joins mixed-species flocks. Typical vocalization is a series of soft tick notes which is often followed by a high pitched “seep.”
Spice Imperial-Pigeon
Ducula myristicivora
A large, stocky pigeon that is found on islands off the shore of Halmahera and far western Papua. Gray head, emerald-green back and wings, blue tail and rusty vent. The eye is red and there is a large knob-like projection on the front top of the bill. Found in a variety of forested habitats, and some wander between islands, sometimes straying to the mainland. Voice a deep, gravelly, 2-note “grrr-waw”, with the second note higher than the first. Similar Spectacled Imperial-Pigeon may co-occur but is separated by its white spectacle around the eye and lack of a knob on the bill.
Ocellated Quail
Cyrtonyx ocellatus
Small, elusive quail of brushy pine-oak woods in drier highlands; favors areas with oak scrub and bunchgrass. Usually in small groups; rarely flushes until almost stepped on. It can be seen beside quiet roads and trails, mainly early and late in day, but it usually remains well hidden in cover. Male has striking harlequin face pattern and rusty underparts with complex patterning. Female has a bushy crest and a trace of the male’s facial pattern. Similar species: female Crested Bobwhite.
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