The Resplendent Quetzal

Quetzal
Originally uploaded by dragonslayer1990.

The Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) is remarkably a green and scarlet colored bird. With the two subspecies strongly extended upper tail covers during the reproduction time, which cover the tail, form and which fail after the breeding time again. The feathers/springs can become long up to 80 cm. Particularly during the breeding time the Quetzalmännchen spectacular implements, few seconds continuing Balzflüge. From the trees within the comb range of the mountains they rise upward with their quackernden flight call in the wavy flight, in order to then disappear in the dive from the sky like greener lightning again in the crowns. With the brood and supply that the sexes alternate mostly two boys. After the breeding time the Quetzale emigrates into ranges of the mountains lain more deeply. The stachelbeergrossen fruits of wildly growing Avocadobäume (Lauraceae) take a high portion in its food spectrum. The Quetzal occupies a key function in the spreading of these tree species.

Habitat

The Quetzal exclusively lives in the wet forests of Central America. The perpetually damp Ambiente transfers stumps of broken off, dead trees into a soft condition, which makes it for the Quetzal possible to dig its Bruthöhle into the rotten wood. Still expanded wet forest areas exist as habitat of the Quetzals in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama.

Guatemala

In close proximity to Coban (Alta Verapaz) in the Biotopo del Quetzal (Mario Dary Biotopo) into the Sierra de read Minas on a height of 1.500 to 2,300 m ü. NN are 1550 hectars of this wet forest as national park since 1977 protected. Since 1997 there is also a private protected area, the Reserva Privada Chelemhá with a size of 500 hectars. These areas are the last secured retreat areas of the Quetzal in Guatemala. North and south the Lago Atítlan is reported by some few other populations.

The quetzal is the national bird of Guatemala, and the unit of currency.

More Lake Atitlan photos.

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