Elegant Trogon

The Elegant Trogon is a seasonally present species in wooded canyons of the southwestern United States and Mexico, prized by birders for its combination of metallic green, coppery, and red plumage. It perches upright and motionless for long periods, often located by its distinctive low, croaking call before it is seen.

Upperpart feathers show an iridescent metallic green sheen across the head, back, and upper breast, sharply bordered by a narrow white band before giving way to a deep red belly, a color combination not shared by other trogons in its range. The tail is squared rather than pointed, coppery-bronze on the upper surface but boldly barred black and white on the underside, a pattern visible when the bird flicks or fans its tail. Flight feathers are dark and relatively unmarked. Compared to the smaller Coppery-headed Trogon of Central America or other regional trogons, the Elegant Trogon's tail barring and red-and-green color block are useful distinguishing features on isolated feathers.

Males show the full metallic green, white-banded, and red plumage described above, while females are duller, with grayish-brown upperparts, a pale eye-ring, and a paler pinkish or reddish belly rather than the male's saturated red. Juveniles resemble females but with less defined markings. Molt occurs after the breeding season, renewing the coppery tail feathers that can show wear by late summer.

Elegant Trogons occupy oak and pine-oak woodland along riparian canyons in the mountains of the southwestern United States (notably southeastern Arizona) south through Mexico and Central America. Northern populations are migratory, arriving in spring and departing in fall, while more southerly populations tend to be resident.

This species feeds on large insects and fruit, taken in short sallies from a perch. It nests in cavities, often reusing old woodpecker holes in sycamores or other large trees. Its voice is a low, repeated croaking or barking call, often the first clue to its presence in a wooded canyon. It tends to sit still and can be surprisingly difficult to spot despite its bright colors.