{{good article}} {{Short description|Species of bird}} {{Speciesbox | image = Resplendent quetzal san gerardo de dota 3.31.24 DSC 3989-topaz-denoiseraw.jpg | image_caption = Male in San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica | image2 = Resplendent Quetzal female.jpg | image2_caption = Female at nest hole in Savegre, Costa Rica <br /> {{Plainlist | *File:Resplendent Quetzal song (Pharomachrus mocinno).ogg *Resplendent Quetzal song in Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala}} | status = NT | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn">{{cite iucn|author=BirdLife International|year= 2023|title= ''Pharomachrus mocinno''|volume= 2023|article-number= e.T22682727A221577625|doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T22682727A221577625.en |access-date=27 June 2025}}</ref> | status2 = CITES_A1 | status2_system = CITES | status2_ref = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Appendices {{!}} CITES |url=https://cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php |access-date=2022-01-14 |website=cites.org}}</ref> | genus = Pharomachrus | species = mocinno | authority = de la Llave, 1832<ref name=ITIS/> | subdivision_ranks = Subspecies | subdivision = ''Pharomachrus mocinno costaricensis''<br /> ''Pharomachrus mocinno mocinno'' | range_map = Pharomachrus_mocinno_map.png | range_map_caption = Range of ''P. mocinno'' }}
The '''resplendent quetzal''' ('''''Pharomachrus mocinno''''') is a small bird found in Central America and southern Mexico that lives in tropical forests, particularly montane cloud forests. They are part of the family Trogonidae and have two recognized subspecies, ''P. m. mocinno'' and ''P. m. costaricensis''. Like other quetzals, the resplendent is mostly omnivorous; its diet mainly consists of fruits of plants in the laurel family, Lauraceae, but it occasionally also preys on insects, lizards, frogs and snails.
The species is well known for its colorful and complex plumage that differs substantially between sexes. Males have iridescent green plumes, a red lower breast and belly, black innerwings and a white undertail, whilst females are duller and have a shorter tail. Grey lower breasts, bellies, and bills, along with bronze-green heads are characteristic of females. These birds hollow holes in decaying trees or use ones already made by woodpeckers as a nest site. They are known to take turns while incubating, males throughout the day and females at night. The female usually lays one to three eggs, which hatch in 17 to 19 days. The quetzal is an altitudinal migrant, migrating from the slopes to the canopy of the forest. This occurs during the breeding season, which varies depending on the location, but usually commences in March and extends as far as August.
The resplendent quetzal is considered near threatened on the IUCN Red List, with habitat destruction being the main threat. It has an important role in Mesoamerican mythology, and is closely associated with Quetzalcoatl, a deity. It is the national animal of Guatemala, being pictured on the flag and coat of arms; it also gives its name to the country's currency, the Guatemalan quetzal.
==Taxonomy== The resplendent quetzal was first described by Mexican naturalist Pablo de La Llave in 1832.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Montenegro |first=Gustavo |date=2006 |title=Biografía simbólica |work=Revista D |url=http://www.prensalibre.com/pl/domingo/archivo/revistad/2004/septiembre04/050904/dcultura.shtml |archive-url=https://archive.today/20061119161954/http://www.prensalibre.com/pl/domingo/archivo/revistad/2004/septiembre04/050904/dcultura.shtml |archive-date=19 November 2006}}</ref> It is one of five species of the genus ''Pharomachrus'', commonly known as quetzals.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Taxonomy of Pharomachrus |url=https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=553589#null |access-date=6 April 2022 |website=ITIS}}</ref> Quetzal is usually specifically used to refer to the resplendent, but it typically applies to all members of the genera ''Pharomachrus'' and ''Euptilotis''.<ref>Quetzal. 1890. In: Encyclopædia Britannica a dictionary of arts, sciences, and general literature. Chicago: R. S. Peale & Co. p. 179-180.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Eared Quetzal (''Euptilotis neoxenus'') - BirdLife species factsheet |url=https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/eared-quetzal-euptilotis-neoxenus |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=datazone.birdlife.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Gulson |first=Eric R. |date=2020 |title=Eared Quetzal (Euptilotis neoxenus), version 1.0 |url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/earque/cur/introduction |journal=Birds of the World |language=en |doi=10.2173/bow.earque.01 |s2cid=216174032|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Some scholars label the crested quetzal as a very close relative of the resplendent, and either suggest the crested quetzal to be a subspecies of the resplendent or the two form a superspecies.<ref name=":1">{{Cite taxon|BOW|last=Dayer |first=Ashley A. |date=2020 |title=Resplendent Quetzal (''Pharomachrus mocinno''), version 1.0 |url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/resque1/cur/introduction |language=en |doi=10.2173/bow.resque1.01 |s2cid=216317227|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The quetzal clade is thought to have spread out from where it emerged in the Andes, the resplendent quetzal being the youngest species.<ref name=":1" /> The name of the genus, ''Pharomachrus'', refers to the physical characteristics of the bird, with ''pharos'' meaning '{{Birdgloss|mantle}}' and ''makros'' meaning 'long' in Ancient Greek.<ref name="nestling" /> The word 'quetzal' came from Nahuatl (Aztec), where ''quetzalli'' (from the root ''quetza'', meaning 'stand') means 'tall upstanding plume' and then 'quetzal tail feather'; from that, Nahuatl ''quetzaltotōtl'' means 'quetzal-feather bird' and thus 'quetzal'.<ref name=Andrews2003/>
Two subspecies are recognized, ''P. m. mocinno'' and ''P. m. costaricensis'', although there is an ongoing debate about whether ''costaricensis'' should be recognized as a distinct species.<ref name="nestling">{{Cite thesis |last=Sittler |first=Pablo |title=Acoustic behavior and ecology of the Resplendent Quetzal Pharomachrus mocinno, a flagship tropical bird species |date=2019 |degree=PhD |url=https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-02048769 |journal=Biodiversity and Ecology. Museum national d'histoire naturelle |access-date=6 April 2022}}</ref> The bird was named "Pharomachrus Mocinno" by Pablo de la Llave to honor an early Mexican naturalist, José Mariano Mociño, a member of a scientific expedition to Guatemala. The specific epithet ''mocinno'' is a Latinization of the Mociño surname.{{Ref|1|[note 1]}}
==Description== thumb|200px|right|A resplendent quetzal found in the Talamanca cloud forests of Costa Rica The resplendent quetzal is the largest trogon.<ref name="Johnsgard2001" /> It is {{convert|36|to(-)|40|cm|in|abbr=on}} long; in the nominate subspecies, the tail streamers measure between {{convert|31|cm|in|abbr=on}} and {{convert|100.5|cm|in|abbr=on}}, with the median being {{convert|75|cm|in|abbr=on}} for males. The nominate subspecies weighs about {{convert|210|g|oz|abbr=on}}, while the subspecies ''costaricensis'' is slightly smaller than the nominate race, with shorter wings and bills. The tail plumes are shorter and narrower, measuring between {{convert|32|cm|in|abbr=on}} and {{convert|86|cm|in|abbr=on}}, with the median being {{convert|63|cm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref name="bulletin">{{Cite journal |last1=Schulz |first1=Ulrich |last2=Eisermann |first2=Knut |date=December 2017 |title=Morphometric differentiation between subspecies of Resplendent Quetzal (''Pharomachrus mocinno mocinno'' and ''P. m. costaricensis'') based on male uppertail-coverts |journal=Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club |volume=137 |issue=4 |pages=287–291 |doi=10.25226/bboc.v137i4.2017.a6 |issn=0007-1595 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
Resplendent quetzals have a green body (showing iridescence from green-gold to blue-violet) and a red lower breast and belly. Depending on the light, quetzal feathers can shine in a variant of colors: from green, cobalt, lime, and yellow to ultramarine.<ref name="sora.unm.edu">{{Cite web |last1=A. LABASTILLE |last2=D. G. ALLEN |last3=L. W. DURRELL |title=BEHAVIOR AND FEATHER STRUCTURE OF THE QUETZAL |url=https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v089n02/p0339-p0348.pdf |access-date=26 March 2022 |website=Sora.unm.edu}}</ref> Their green upper {{Birdgloss|tail coverts}} hide their tails and are particularly splendid in breeding males, being longer than the rest of the body. Though the quetzal's plumage appears green, they are actually brown due to the pigment melanin.<ref name="nestling" /> The primary wing coverts are also unusually long and have a fringed appearance. The male has a helmet-like crest. The bill, which is partly covered by green filamentous feathers, is yellow in mature males and grey in females. Their iridescent feathers, which cause them to appear shiny and green like the canopy leaves, are a camouflage adaptation to hide within the canopy during rainy weather.<ref name="sora.unm.edu" /> The quetzal's skin is very thin and easily torn,<ref name="adw" /> so it has evolved thick plumage to protect its skin. It has large eyes, adapted to see in the dim light of the forest.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-12-11 |title=National Bird Day Profile: The Resplendent Quetzal |url=https://www.bornfreeusa.org/2012/12/11/symbol-of-liberty-the-resplendent-quetza/ |access-date=2022-06-18 |website=Born Free USA |language=en-US}}</ref> Their song is an array of full-toned, mellow, slurred notes in plain patterns and is often remarkably melodious: ''keow'', ''kowee'', ''keow'', ''k'loo'', ''keeloo''.<ref name=":1"/>
==Distribution and habitat== This species inhabits amidst lush vegetation, in specially moist rainforests at high elevations ({{Convert|900–3200|m|ft|abbr=on}}).{{Ref|2|[note 2]}}<ref name="iucn" /> They populate trees that make up the canopy and subcanopy of the rainforest, though they can also be found in ravines and cliffs.<ref name="iucn" /> It prefers to live in decaying trees, stumps, and abandoned woodpecker hollows.<ref name="iucn" /> The vivid colors of the quetzal are disguised by the rainforest.<ref name="adw" /> The resplendent quetzal can be found from southern Mexico (southernmost Oaxaca and Chiapas) to western Panama (Chiriquí).<ref name="sofia" /> The ranges of the two subspecies differ: ''P. m. mocinno'' is found in southern Mexico, northern El Salvador, and northwestern Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras, while ''P. m. costaricensis'' is found in Costa Rica and western Panama.<ref name="bulletin" /> The geographical isolation between the two subspecies is caused by the Nicaraguan depression, a {{Convert|50|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide, {{Convert|600|km|mi|abbr=on}} long bottomland that contains the two largest lakes in Central America, Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua, and the deficiency of the breeding habitats in regions adjoining to.<ref name="sofia">{{Cite journal |last1=Solórzano |first1=Sofia |last2=Baker |first2=Allan |last3=Oyama |first3=Ken |date=2004 |title=Conservation Priorities for Resplendent Quetzals Based on Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA Control-Region Sequences |journal=Ornithological Applications |volume=106 |issue=3 |pages=449–456 |doi=10.1093/condor/106.3.449|doi-access=free }}</ref> The quetzal migrates from its breeding areas in the lower montane rainforest to the pre-montane rainforest on the Pacific slopes for three to four months (July–October), after which they move across the continental divide to the Atlantic slopes.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bjork |first1=Robin |last2=Powell |first2=George |date=1994 |title=Implications of altitudinal migration for conservation strategies to protect tropical biodiversity: a case study of the Resplendent Quetzal Pharomacrus mocinno at Monteverde, Costa Rica |journal=Cambridge University Press |volume=4 |issue=2–3 |pages=161–174 |doi=10.1017/S0959270900002744 |s2cid=73715643|doi-access=free }}</ref>
Quetzal's abundance in its mating areas is correlated with the total number of fruiting species, although the correlation between quetzal abundance and the number of fruiting Lauraceae species is only marginal.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Solórzano |first1=Sofía |last2=Castillo |first2=Silvia |last3=Valverde |first3=Teresa |last4=Ívila |first4=Lourdes |date=2006 |title=Quetzal Abundance in Relation to Fruit Availability in a Cloud Forest in Southeastern Mexico |journal=Biotropica |volume=32 |issue=3 |pages=523–532 |doi=10.1111/j.1744-7429.2000.tb00498.x |s2cid=86242565}}</ref>
==Behavior== Resplendent quetzals generally display shy and quiet behaviour to elude predators.<ref name="knight">{{Cite journal |last=Tremain |first=Cara |date=2016 |title=Birds of a Feather: Exploring the Acquisition of Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) Tail Coverts in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica |journal=Human Ecology |volume=44 |issue=4 |pages=399–408 |doi=10.1007/s10745-016-9827-8 |bibcode=2016HumEc..44..399T |s2cid=89248314}}</ref> In contrast, they are rather vocal during the mating season, and their behavior is designated to exhibit and attract mates. Their known predators include the ornate hawk-eagle, golden eagle, and other hawks and owls as adults, along with emerald toucanets, brown jays, long-tailed weasels, squirrels, and kinkajous as nestlings or eggs.<ref name="knight" /><ref name="fruits">{{Cite journal |last=Wheelwright |first=Nathaniel |date=1983 |title=Fruits and the ecology of resplendent quetzals |journal=Ornithology |volume=100 |issue=2 |pages=286–301 |doi=10.1093/auk/100.2.286}}</ref> The resplendent quetzal plays an important ecological role in the cloud forests, helping disseminate the seeds of at least 32 tree species.<ref name="nestling" />
===Feeding=== 200px|thumb|right|Female eating a wild avocado
Resplendent quetzals are considered specialized fruit-eaters, feeding on 41 to 43 species, although they also feed on insects (primarily wasps, ants, and larvae), frogs, lizards, and snails.<ref name="iucn" /><ref name="dayer" /> Particularly important are the ''Symplococarpon purpusii'' and wild avocados, as well as other fruits of the laurel family, which the birds swallow whole before regurgitating the pits, which helps to disperse these trees.<ref name="auto" /> Quetzals feed more frequently in the midday hours.<ref name="auto">{{Cite journal |last1=H. |first1=Ma. Lourdes Avila |last2=O. |first2=V. Hugo Hernandez |last3=Verlarde |first3=Enriqueta |date=25 May 1996 |title=The Diet of Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus Moncinno mocinno: Trogonidae) in a Mexican Cloud Forest |journal=Biotropica |volume=28 |issue=4 |pages=720–727 |doi=10.2307/2389058 |jstor=2389058|bibcode=1996Biotr..28..720H }}</ref> The adults eat a more fruit-based diet than the chicks, who eat insects primarily and some fruits.<ref name="auto" /> Over fifty percent of the fruit they eat are laurels.<ref name=":1"/> Quetzals use the methods of "hovering" and "stalling" in order to selectively pick the fruit from near the tips of the branches.<ref name="auto" />
===Breeding=== Resplendent quetzals create their nests over {{Convert|200|ft|sigfig=1}} up in the air and court in the air with specific calls.<ref name="sora.unm.edu" /> Six specific vocal calls have been recorded: the two-note whistle, ''gee-gee'', ''wahc-ah-wahc'', ''wec-wec'', whistle, ''coouee'', ''uwac'', chatter, and buzzing.<ref name="sora.unm.edu" /> The first call is related to male territorial behavior, while the ''coouee'' whistle is a mating call.<ref name="sora.unm.edu" /> Resplendent quetzals usually live alone when not breeding. They are monogamous territorial breeders, with the size of their territory in Guatemala being {{convert|6|–|10|ha|acre|abbr=on}}.<ref name="sora.unm.edu" /> They are also seasonal breeders, with the breeding season lasting from March to April in Mexico, May to June in El Salvador, and March to May in Guatemala.<ref name="HBW" /> When breeding, females lay one to three pale blue eggs with a mean of {{convert|38.9|mm|in}} x {{convert|32.4|mm|in}} in a nest placed in a hole which they carve in a rotten tree.<ref name="sora.unm.edu" /> Resplendent quetzals tend to lay two clutches per year and are known to have a high rate of nest failure, 67-78%.<ref name=":1"/> One of the most important factors when choosing a nest location for the quetzal is that the tree must be in a stage of decomposition and decay. They often reuse their previous sites.<ref name="nestling" /> The height of nest stubs is {{Convert|41|ft|sigfig=1}} and the nest holes {{Convert|31|ft|sigfig=1}}.<ref name="sora.unm.edu" />
Both parents take turns at incubating, with their long tail coverts folded forwards over out of the hole, giving them the appearance of a bunch of fern growing out of the hole. The incubation period lasts about 17 to 19 days,<ref name="iucn" /> during which the male generally incubates the eggs during the day while the female incubates them at night.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lebbin |first=Daniel |date=2007 |title=Nesting Behavior and Nestling Care of the Pavonine Quetzal (Pharomachrus pavoninus) |journal=The Wilson Journal of Ornithology |volume=119 |issue=3 |pages=458–463 |doi=10.1676/06-138.1 |jstor=20456032 |s2cid=85749023}}</ref> When the eggs hatch, both parents take care of the young, feeding them entire fruits, such as berries and avocados, as early as the second day. However, chicks are primarily fed insects, lizards, snails and small frogs.<ref name="fruits" /> It was observed that males generally give more food, namely insects, than females.<ref name=":1" /> Nestlings are often neglected and even abandoned by females near the end of the rearing period, leaving it up to the male to continue caring for the offspring until they are ready to survive on their own.<ref name=":1" /> During the incubation period, parents land and rotate their heads side to side before entering the nest, a process known as "bowing in".<ref name="sora.unm.edu" /> This process ends when the chicks hatch.<ref name="sora.unm.edu" /> Young quetzals begin flying after a month, but the distinctive long tail feathers can take three years to develop in males.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Tremain |first=Cara Grace |date=2016-08-01 |title=Birds of a Feather: Exploring the Acquisition of Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) Tail Coverts in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica |journal=Human Ecology |language=en |volume=44 |issue=4 |pages=399–408 |doi=10.1007/s10745-016-9827-8 |bibcode=2016HumEc..44..399T |s2cid=89248314 |issn=1572-9915}}</ref>
==Conservation status== thumb|right|237x237px|Monteverde, Costa Rica The population trend varies between subpopulations but is generally decreasing although certain populations may be increasing or are at least stable. It is classified as being near threatened on the IUCN Red List, with an estimated population of 20,000–49,999 individuals.<ref name="iucn" /> Due to the remote habitat of the quetzal, more monitoring is required to confirm the rate of decline, and depending on the results it could lead to it moving to a higher threat category.<ref name="iucn" /> In 2001, the quetzal survived only in 11 small, isolated patches of forest.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Solórzano |first1=Sofia |last2=Castillo-Santiago |first2=Miguel |last3=Navarrete-Gutiérrez |first3=Dario |last4=Oyama |first4=Ken |date=2003 |title=Impacts of the loss of neotropical highland forests on the species distribution: a case study using resplendent quetzal an endangered bird species |journal=Biological Conservation |volume=114 |issue=3 |pages=341–349 |doi=10.1016/S0006-3207(03)00054-5|bibcode=2003BCons.114..341S }}</ref> Its biggest threats are habitat loss because of deforestation, forest fragmentation, and agricultural clearing.<ref name="iucn" /> The quetzal is also sometimes hunted for food and trapped for illegal trading.<ref name="iucn" /><ref name="abc">{{Cite news |title=Resplendent Quetzal |work=American Bird Conservancy |url=https://abcbirds.org/bird/resplendent-quetzal/ |access-date=4 April 2022}}</ref> Cloud forests, the resplendent quetzal's habitat, are one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Reynaud |first1=Javier |last2=Sabillón |first2=Miriam |last3=Barahona |first3=Allan |title=Abundance of the Resplendent Quetzal ''Pharomachrus'' mocinno (Trogoniformes, Trogonidae) in the tourist sector of a cloud forest reserve |journal=Neotropical |date=2022 |volume=Neotropical Biology and Conservation |issue=1 |pages=29–38 |doi=10.3897/neotropical.17.e72273|bibcode=2022NeoBC..17...29G |doi-access=free }}</ref> but the species occurs in several protected areas such as the Children's Eternal Rainforest and is a sought-after species for birdwatchers and ecotourists.<ref name="iucn" />
It was thought that the resplendent quetzal could not be bred or held for a long time in captivity, and was noted for usually dying soon after being captured or caged as a result of assimilation of iron through water ingestion, with this now understood they are now given tannic acid and iron is avoided in their diet.<ref name="knight"/> For this reason, it is a traditional symbol of liberty.<ref name=":0" /> The national anthem of Guatemala even includes the verse "{{Lang|es|Antes muerto que esclavo será}}" (Be rather dead than a slave). However, the scientific discovery about the bird's susceptibility to iron has allowed some zoos, including Miguel Álvarez del Toro Zoo in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, to keep this species. Breeding in captivity was announced in 2004.<ref name="Orellana2004" />
==In culture== {{Birdsong|species=''Pharomachrus mocinno''|url=https://xeno-canto.org/explore?query=Pharomachrus%20mocinno}} The resplendent quetzal is the national animal of Guatemala and it appears on the flag and coat of arms of the country.<ref name=kwei>{{cite web |last1=Kwei |first1=Ivon |title=El escudo de armas, símbolo patrio de Guatemala |url=https://aprende.guatemala.com/cultura-guatemalteca/civismo/escudo-de-armas-simbolo-patrio-guatemala/ |website=Aprende Guatemala.com |access-date=25 May 2020 |language=es-GT |date=6 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 17, 2025 |title=Nuestra bandera, 154 años de inspirar patriotismo a los guatemaltecos |url=https://www.congreso.gob.gt/noticias_congreso/14185/2025/4#gsc.tab=0 |access-date=2025-10-22 |website=www.congreso.gob.gt}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=September 5, 2022 |title=De beleza encantadora, nuestra ave nacional |url=https://www.congreso.gob.gt/noticias_congreso/9036/2023/4#gsc.tab=0 |access-date=2025-10-22 |website=www.congreso.gob.gt}}</ref>
In pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilizations, the quetzal was associated with Quetzalcoatl, the feathered-serpent god of life, light, knowledge and the winds.<ref name="knight" /> Its scintillating green tail feathers, thought to symbolize spring plant growth, were venerated by the Aztec and Maya.<ref name="abc" /> The Maya also regarded the quetzal as representative of freedom (on account of quetzals dying in captivity) and with wealth (due to the value of their feathers.)<ref>{{Cite book |last=Owen |first=Michael |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vJ3C5gJvK1UC&q=Quetzal+Maya+Aztec&pg=PA423 |title=The Maya Book of Life: Understanding the Xultun Tarot |publisher=Routledge |year=2013 |isbn=978-0-473-11989-8 |page=423 |access-date=2015-03-22}}</ref> Mesoamerican rulers and some high-ranking nobles wore diadems adorned with quetzal feathers, symbolically linking them to Quetzalcoatl.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last1=Evans |first1=Susan Toby |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vZ3DAAAAQBAJ&q=Pharomachrus+mocinno&pg=PA443 |title=Archaeology of Ancient Mexico and Central America: An Encyclopedia |last2=David L. Webster |publisher=Kahurangi Press |year=2000 |isbn=978-0-8153-0887-4 |pages=265–66 |access-date=2015-03-22}}</ref> Since the killing of quetzals was forbidden under Maya and Aztec law, the bird was merely seized, its prolonged tail feathers deplumed, and set loose.<ref name="knight" /> In ancient Mayan culture, quetzal feathers were considered so precious that they were used as a medium of exchange,<ref name="knight" /> leading to the name of the Guatemalan currency, the quetzal.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rafferty |first1=John P. |title=quetzal |url=https://www.britannica.com/animal/quetzal |website=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=12 October 2022 |language=en}}</ref> In various Mesoamerican languages, the word ''quetzal'' has a secondary meaning of ''precious'', ''sacred'', or ''king'', ''warrior'', ''prince''.<ref>Bierhorst, J. 1985. ''A Nahuatl-English dictionary and concordance to the cantares mexicanos''. California: Stanford University Press.</ref>
One Mayan legend has it that a resplendent quetzal accompanied the hero, Tecún Umán, prince of the Quiché (K'iche') Maya, during his battle against Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado. Tecún, equipped with just an arrow and bow, nevertheless is able to incapacitate Alvarado's horse on the first strike. Alvarado was then given a second horse and counter-charged against Tecún, running his chest through with a spear. A quetzal flew down and alighted on Tecún's body, drenching its chest in his blood. It was then that the species, which used to be completely green, obtained its characteristic red chest feathers. Additionally, from that day on, the quetzal, which sang delightfully before the Spanish conquest, has been mute ever since; it will sing anew solely when the land is fully liberated.<ref name="adw">{{Cite web |last=Pena |first=Eric |title=''Pharomachrus mocinno'' |url=https://animaldiversity.org/site/accounts/information/Pharomachrus_mocinno.html |access-date=4 April 2022 |website=Animal Diversity Web}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Quetzal |url=https://globalvillagemuseum.org/current-exhibits/central-america/quetzal/ |access-date=4 April 2022 |website=Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures |archive-date=6 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106223329/https://globalvillagemuseum.org/current-exhibits/central-america/quetzal/ }}</ref>
==Gallery== {{Gallery | align = center | height = 170 | width = 170 | File:Male Resplendent Quetzal.jpg | Male standing on a branch | File:Resplendent Quetzal - 178347.jpg | Male displaying his long tail |File:Resplendent Quetzal.jpg |Male peeking through a nest hole | File:Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) (5772514472).jpg | Male in Costa Rica from below }}
==Notes== :{{Note|1||It is sometimes spelled ''mocino'', but "ñ" was formerly spelled "nn" in Spanish, so the spelling with "nn" is justified and nonetheless now official.<ref name=Eisenmann1959/>}} :{{Note|2||There is some variation between sources, some cite that the span is between {{Convert|1000–3000|m|ft|abbr=on}} while others claim elevations of {{Convert|1300–3000|m|ft|abbr=on}}.}}<ref>{{Cite journal |url=https://academic.oup.com/condor/article/106/3/449/5563228 |access-date=2022-08-23 |journal=The Condor |doi=10.1093/condor/106.3.449|title=Conservation Priorities for Resplendent Quetzals Based on Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA Control-Region Sequences |year=2004 |last1=Solórzano |first1=Sofia |last2=Baker |first2=Allan J. |last3=Oyama |first3=Ken |volume=106 |issue=3 |pages=449–456 |doi-access=free |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name=":1"/>
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="Andrews2003">{{Cite book |last=Andrews |first=J. Richard |title=Introduction to Classical Nahuatl |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press |year=2003 |isbn=0-8061-3452-6}}</ref>
<ref name="dayer">{{Cite web |last=Dayer |first=Ashley |editor-last=Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg) |title=Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) |url=https://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/lifehistory?p_p_spp=284856 |access-date=23 December 2011 |publisher=Cornell Lab of Ornithology}}</ref>
<ref name="Eisenmann1959">{{Cite journal |last=Eisenmann, E. |year=1959 |title=The Correct Specific Name of the Quetzal, ''Pharomachrus mocinno'' |url=http://sora.unm.edu/node/20740 |journal=Auk |volume=76 |issue=1 |page=108 |doi=10.2307/4081862 |jstor=4081862|doi-access=free }}</ref>
<ref name="HBW">{{Cite book |last=Collar |first=N.J. |title=Handbook of the Birds of the World |title-link=Handbook of the Birds of the World |publisher=Lynx Edicions |year=2001 |isbn=84-87334-30-X |editor-last=del Hoyo |editor-first=J. |volume=6 ''Mousebirds to Hornbills'' |location=Barcelona, Spain |pages=[https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0001unse/page/126 126–127] |chapter=Family Trogonidae (Trogons) |editor-last2=Elliott |editor-first2=A. |editor-last3=Sargatal |editor-first3=J.}}</ref>
<ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS |id=554484 |taxon=Pharomachrus mocinno |access-date=20 July 2014 }}</ref>
<ref name="Johnsgard2001">{{Cite book |last=Johnsgard |first=Paul A. |url=https://archive.org/details/trogonsquetzalso00john |title=Trogons and Quetzals of the World |publisher=Smithsonian |year=2001 |isbn=978-1-56098-388-0 |author-link=Paul Johnsgard}}</ref>
<ref name="Orellana2004">{{Cite journal |last=Orellana |first=Claudia |year=2004 |title=Quetzals Bred in Captivity in Chiapas |journal=Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment |publisher=Ecological Society of America |volume=2 |issue=7 |page=345 |jstor=3868355|bibcode=2004FrEE....2..345O }}</ref> }}
==Sources== * {{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/vanishingedenpli00atki |title=Vanishing Eden: The Plight of the Tropical Rain Forest |publisher=Barrons Educational Series, Inc. |year=1991 |isbn=0-8120-6246-9 |editor-last=Atkins |editor-first=Edward G. |editor-last2=Kimber |editor-first2=Rita |editor-last3=Kimber |editor-first3=Robert}} * {{Cite book |last1=Henderson |first1=Carrol L. |title=Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide |last2=Adams |first2=Steve |last3=Skutch |first3=Alexander F. |publisher=University of Texas Press |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-292-71965-1 |location=Austin |pages=176–177}} * {{Cite book |last1=Howell |first1=Steve N. G. |url=https://archive.org/details/guidetobirdsofme0000howe |title=A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America |last2=Webb |first2=Sophie |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1995 |isbn=0-19-854012-4 |url-access=registration}} * {{Cite book |last1=Williamson |first1=Sheri L. |title=Firefly Encyclopedia of Birds |last2=Colston |first2=P.R. |publisher=Firefly Books |year=2003 |isbn=1-55297-777-3 |editor-last=Christopher Perrins |editor-link=Christopher Perrins |pages=[https://archive.org/details/fireflyencyclope0000unse/page/362 362–363] |chapter=Trogons |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/fireflyencyclope0000unse/page/362}}
==External links== * {{Commons category-inline|Pharomachrus mocinno}} * {{Wikispecies-inline|Pharomachrus mocinno}} * {{BirdLife|22682727|Pharomachrus mocinno}} * {{Cite journal |last=Ball |first=Philip |date=14 December 2004 |title=Mystery of 'chirping' pyramid decoded |url=http://www.nature.com/news/2004/041213/full/041213-5.html |journal=Nature |doi=10.1038/news041213-5 |quote=Discussion of a theory that a Mayan pyramid makes echoes of handclaps that resemble quetzal vocalizations.|doi-access=free |url-access=subscription }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/19990505024313/http://www.ocasa.org/MayanPyramid.htm ocasa.org: An archaeological study of chirped echo from the Mayan pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza], with [https://web.archive.org/web/20130120025425/http://www.ocasa.org/sounds/Quetzal_in_cloud_forest_norm.mp3 audio files of a quetzal] and of [https://web.archive.org/web/20130120025509/http://www.ocasa.org/sounds/qqcaca.mp3 two Quetzal bird chirps] recorded in a rain forest compared to two chirped echoes simulated by a handclaps at the pyramid * {{InternetBirdCollection|resplendent-quetzal-pharomachrus-mocinno|Resplendent quetzal}} * {{VIREO|Resplendent+Quetzal|Resplendent quetzal}}
{{Trogons}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q459267}}
resplendent quetzal Category:Meso-American montane bird species Category:Birds of Guatemala Category:Birds of the Talamancan montane forests Category:Culture of Guatemala Category:National symbols of Guatemala Category:Natural history of Mesoamerica resplendent quetzal