Slaty Tailed Trogon

Slaty Tailed Trogon perched image taken in the rain forest if Panama.

Slaty-tailed Trogon

Scientific Name and Classification

• Scientific Name: Trogon massena
• Family: Trogonidae
• Order: Trogoniformes

Description

The Slaty-tailed Trogon is a striking bird with vibrant plumage. Males have a metallic green head, upper breast, and back, with a contrasting bright red lower breast and belly. The tail is slate-gray, giving the bird its name. Females are less colorful, with a grayish head and chest, but they still exhibit the distinctive red belly. Both sexes have a pale blue ring around the eye and a yellow bill. These birds typically measure about 30-33 cm (12-13 inches) in length.

Habitat

Slaty-tailed Trogons are found in tropical and subtropical forests ranging from southern Mexico through Central America to western Colombia and Ecuador. They prefer the mid-levels of dense forests, often inhabiting primary and secondary growth forests, forest edges, and plantations.

Behavior

• Diet: Their diet consists mainly of fruits, particularly those of the Lauraceae family. They also consume insects and small vertebrates. They often catch insects in flight or pick them off leaves and branches.
• Social Structure: Slaty-tailed Trogons are typically seen alone or in pairs. They are known for their slow and deliberate movements and can often be spotted perching quietly in the mid-canopy.
• Breeding: The breeding season varies by region but generally occurs during the spring and early summer. They nest in tree cavities, often using old woodpecker holes. The female usually lays 2-3 eggs, which both parents incubate. The chicks are altricial, meaning they are born helpless and require extensive parental care.

Conservation Status

The Slaty-tailed Trogon is currently listed as “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Despite this, they face threats from habitat loss due to deforestation and land conversion for agriculture and urban development. Conservation efforts include preserving large tracts of tropical forests to ensure their habitat remains intact.

Interesting Facts

• Coloration: The iridescent green and red coloration of the male Slaty-tailed Trogon is due to structural coloration rather than pigments. This means the colors are produced by the microscopic structure of the feathers reflecting light.
• Call: Their call is a series of deep, resonant “cow” notes, often heard before the bird is seen. This call can carry a long distance through the dense forest.
• Behavior: Unlike many birds that fly away quickly when disturbed, trogons often remain motionless, relying on their cryptic plumage to avoid detection by predators.

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