Quetzal
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| Quetzal | ||||||||||||
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 Resplendent Quetzal
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P. antisianus |
Quetzals are strikingly colored birds of the trogon family (Trogonidae) found in tropical regions of the Americas.
The word "quetzal" was originally used for just the Resplendent Quetzal, Pharomachrus mocinno, the famous long-tailed quetzal of Central America, which is the national bird of Guatemala. It still often refers to that bird specifically but now also names all the species of the genera Pharomachrus and Euptilotis. The six quetzal species and their English common names are:
- P. antisianus: Crested Quetzal
- P. auriceps: Golden-headed Quetzal
- P. fulgidus: White-tipped Quetzal
- P. mocinno: Resplendent Quetzal
- P. pavoninus: Pavonine Quetzal
- E. neoxenus: Eared Quetzal
Euptilotis neoxenus is related to Pharomachrus and is called the Eared Quetzal by some authorities, such as the American Ornithologists' Union, but the Eared Trogon by others.
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[edit] Etymology
The name "quetzal" is from Nahuatl quetzalli, "large brilliant tail feather" (American Heritage Dictionary) or "tail coverts of the quetzal" (Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary), from the Nahuatl root quetz = "stand up" used to refer to an upstanding plume of feathers.
Pharomachrus is from ancient Greek pharos, "mantle", and makros, "long", referring to the wing and tail coverts of the Resplendent Quetzal. (The second h is unexplained.)
[edit] The legend
The legend says Tecún Umán entered the Battle of El Pinal adorned with precious Resplendent Quetzal feathers, and his nahual (animal spirit guide), also a quetzal bird, accompanied him during the battle. After being killed by Alvarado, his nagual, filled with grief, landed on the fallen hero's chest, staining its breast feathers red with blood, and thereafter died. From that day on, all male quetzals bear a scarlet breast and their song has not been heard since. Further, if one is to be placed in captivity, it would die, making the quetzal a symbol of liberty.[1]
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- TSN 553589. Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
- Mangoverde.com For images of four quetzal species, select "Trogons".
- Trogon videos, including quetzals, on the Internet Bird Collection
- A study about Quetzal, The Quetzal Description and Habitat
