Fun Golden-headed Quetzal Facts For Kids
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The term quetzal is often used for referring to the species of resplendent quetzal. The long tail of the resplendent quetzal depicts a true quetzal.
In reality, all species of the Pharomachrus genus, including the resplendent quetzal, belong to the family of quetzals. A golden-headed quetzal (Pharomachrus auriceps) is a New World bird that is endemic to the highlands of Bolivia, Peru, and Venezuela in South America.
The bird is spotted by its striking plumage and is named after the stunning bronzy golden head. The quetzal belongs to the Trogonidae family of the trogon species.
Therefore, they are also commonly known by the name golden-headed trogon. They are also called the yellow-bellied quetzal because of the yellow feathers of the abdomen.
The golden-headed quetzal's range crosses the range of the crested quetzals in South America. Therefore these two species usually coexist together on the same site.
The birds are widespread in their habitat. The trogon is most commonly distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical areas of Pichincha and a large population is encountered there. The birds communicate with each other using distinctive hawk-like tunes that sound like mournful whistles.
To know more facts about the bird, keep on reading these amazing facts. For similar content, check out our pages on resplendent quetzal and white-rumped sandpiper, too.
Golden-Headed Quetzal Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a golden-headed quetzal?
A golden-headed quetzal (Pharomachrus auriceps) is a type of large bird belonging to the Trogonidae family of trogons that live in the Andes region of South America.
What class of animal does a golden-headed quetzal belong to?
The golden-headed quetzal (Pharomachrus auriceps) of Trogoniformes order and Trogonidae family belong to the class Aves which is the common class for all birds.
How many golden-headed quetzals are there in the world?
The global population of the species of golden-headed quetzals has not been determined. However, interaction with the species is fairly common in its wide range.
There is no substantial evidence of any existing threat that might affect the birds on a large scale. Therefore the population trend of the bird is assumed to be stable. Once common in Peru, these birds have gradually declined from that area, but the reason for the decline is unknown.
Where does a golden-headed quetzal live?
The golden-headed quetzal is divided into two subspecies based on differences in distribution. The subspecies Pharomachrus auriceps auriceps are found extending from southern Colombia to East Peru and central Bolivia in the Andes region. They are also found in eastern Panama. The subspecies Pharomachrus auriceps hargitti are found in the Andes forest of northern Venezuela.
What is a golden-headed quetzal's habitat?
The ideal habitat of a golden-headed quetzal (Pharomachrus auriceps) is wet and moist montane forests of moderate elevation. They inhabit the foothills forests in the southern Andes in South America. They are uncommon in forest clearings and edges. The birds nest in tree cavities.
Who do golden-headed quetzals live with?
The golden-headed quetzals are a solitary species, they live alone in the forests for most of the years except the breeding season. In the breeding season, the bird forms a monogamous pair and lives with its partner in the nest.
How long does a golden-headed quetzal live?
There is very little information regarding the life span of the golden-headed quetzals in the wild owing to their shy nature. However, in captivity, it was observed that the quetzals can live more than 20 years of age. The eldest quetzal ever recorded was 29 years old.
How do they reproduce?
The breeding season of the golden-headed quetzals lasts from February to June. The birds form monogamous pairs, that is, they mate with a single partner for their entire life. The male bird attracts a potential female mate by singing an advertising call for them.
After forming a pair, the male and female look for a suitable breeding nest. Like all trogons, these birds also nest in unlined tree cavities.
The birds either excavate a hole in rotten tree trunks using their beaks or they can also use a previously excavated hollow on the tree trunks. A quetzal nest is usually shallow so that a part of its body or tail is always visible. The bird usually breeds once in a single season.
After breeding, a female bird lays one to two blue-colored eggs in a single clutch. After an incubation period of 18-20 days, the young hatchlings appear.
Both the parents provide parental care and take part in incubating the eggs. The juvenile quetzal flegde agter 25-30 days. The birds reach sexual maturity when they become two years old.
What is their conservation status?
The golden-headed quetzals of South America are classified as a species of Least Concern in the IUCN Red List. These birds are distributed over a considerably large range so they do not approach the threshold of Vulnerable species under the range criteria.
Most importantly, it is believed that the bids have a large population over a wide distribution. Although the population is not estimated, it is assumed to be large enough to reach the threshold of endangered species.
The population trend of the birds also indicates that they are stable in their natural habitat. They are poorly acknowledged by the conservation sites due to the absence of substantial threats in the forests.
Golden-Headed Quetzal Fun Facts
What do golden-headed quetzals look like?
The golden-headed quetzal is a medium-sized bird residing in northern Bolivia, Peru, and Venezuela. The male birds have an iridescent green plumage with a glossy golden sheen on the wings and throat.
Depending on the light, the wings and breast of the bird can also sometimes appear blue. The female has a duller brown plumage than the male.
They also have a duller golden brown head compared to the iridescent golden-bronze head feathers of the male. The large flight feathers are metallic green color, while and the upper tail coverts are dark green both in the male and female species.
The male has a yellow bill which appears brownish gray in the females. The lower breast of both male and female birds are vibrant red, the red being more vibrant in the male species.
The color of the legs varies from olive green to a brownish color. These physical descriptions, as well as, their call help spot them.
How cute are they?
The striking colors of the bird make them look stunning in the wild.
How do they communicate?
The birds communicate by using hawk-like vocalizations. They have a six to eight note call which sounds like 'whe-wheeu, whe-wheuu, whe-wheeu'.
How big is a golden-headed quetzal?
The length of the golden-headed quetzals ranges between 13-14 in (33-36 cm). They are bigger than great green macaw by 1 in (2.5 cm).
How fast can a golden-headed quetzal fly?
The golden-headed quetzals fly short distances, but their speed has not been determined.
How much does a golden-headed quetzal weigh?
The weight of a golden-headed quetzal ranges between 5.4-6.4 oz (154-182 g).
What are the male and female names of the species?
A male and a female golden-headed quetzal are called a cock and hen, respectively.
What would you call a baby golden-headed quetzal?
A baby golden-headed quetzal is called a chick.
What do they eat?
The golden-headed quetzal has an omnivorous diet. Their diet includes fruits, tree frogs, and katydid.
Are they dangerous?
No, they are not dangerous.
Would they make a good pet?
No, they do not make good pets.
Did you know...
The golden-headed male quetzal lacks the characteristic crest feathers of all quetzal species.
How many eggs do golden-headed quetzal lay?
The golden-headed quetzals can lay one to two eggs in a single clutch per breeding season.
Do golden-headed quetzals migrate?
The golden-headed quetzal show local movements between May and October. They move to lower altitudes during this time.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our mountain bluebird facts and grasshopper sparrow facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable modern birdhouse coloring pages.
Second image by Lip Kee .
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