the Quesal or Quetzal is one of the biggest and surely the most known representative of the Trogons from means and South America. its spread-area stretches over the move-wet mountain-forests (up to 2700 m of height) of Oaxaca and Chiapas (South-Mexico) as far as after Panama.
Types Two draw near, relatives types, that both a feather-bonnet and the long waiter-tail-blankets of the males lack, have the same spread-area largely. The 30-33 cm big Glanztrogon (Pharomachrus fulgidus) has black tail-feathers with wide white tops, while is (biggest Trogonart) fully black with the 34-36 cm long Pfauentrogon (Pharomachrus pavoninus) of the pushes.
Actual Quetzal Male Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocino) big with the 30-35 cm almost are the entire plumage (with exception of the blood-red stomach-side), that outer 3 tail-feather-pairs lift, brilliantly emerald itself knows from, while the remaining tax-feathers are black. The bonnet-nicely positioned head-plumage gleams golden, the back-feathers against it more bluish.
Grow subtype (Ph) at the Central America-niches during the reproductive-period. m. mocinno, 4 waiter-tail-feathers too long jewelry-feathers, that protrude the tax-feathers by 60 cm and can become approximately 1 m long altogether, from. Female Quetzals are more insignificantly colored: This head -, and the low breast-region carries brown-gray plumage, also only the outer both tail-feathers are white spotted. Quetzals become approximately 170 g heavily.
Relationships to the human being With the Aztecs ("sun-bird") and Maya (Quetzalcoatl = "feathered snake"), Quetzals were admired as important deities. The jewelry-feathers of the males were the sovereigns reservations as headdress. However, one didn't kill the beautiful birds but tore out them the feathers and (Trogons) then freed it. Still today, Quetzals are admired; Guatemala led the bird in the state-coat of arms as well as on stamps and coins (monetary-unit of Guatemala): Quetzal. Unfortunately the destruction of its natural habitat takes the existence-basis from the Göttervogel through the human being today so that Quetzals are threatened strongly today.
Reproduction Quetzals set aside its 2 bluish eggs (approximately 3,5 × 3 cm) in self-built brood-caves, that they dig in enough distance of the ground in completely rotten trees. Mainly the female erbrütet the nest for 17-18 days; it is replaced twice on the day of the male for in each case several hours. The long jewelry-feathers hang out from the entrance-hole of the brood-cave on that occasion from time to time. The males after conclusion of the heat see often taken something in the plumage from. Every 6 months, the jewelry-feathers are molted.
Newly slipped Quetzals still are bare and blind. they are fed with animal food by both parents. After only 2 weeks for example, they are befiedert and abandoned the nest finally after further 2 weeks. After going out, Quetzals stay together even longer in the family-association and look for insects, small vertebrates and tree-fruits together. According to spread, the birds pull up 1 or 2 yearly-broods.
Endangering Quetzals are strongly endangered. Some subtypes therefore stand under the protection of the Washingtoner Artenschutzübereinkommens.
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