Crested quetzals are sometimes treated as subspecies of resplendent quetzals (Pharomachrus mocinno).
Crested quetzals communicate through vocalizations. Their most common call sounds like "way-way-wayo." A muffled whistle can also be heard that resembles “whee-eoo”. Crested quetzals communicate alarm with a short series of “ka” notes. Males also have an extremely long tail with many bright colors, which may be used for visual displays for females, but no research has been done on this.
Communication Channels: visual ; acoustic
Other Communication Modes: choruses
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Crested quetzals are not listed in the CITES appendices. According to the IUCN Red List crested quetzals populations are of "Least Concern." Populations may be threatened by habitat destruction in some areas.
US Migratory Bird Act: no special status
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
State of Michigan List: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
There are no known adverse effects of crested quetzals on humans.
Crested quetzals, and other quetzal species are loved by bird watchers and are an ecotourism attraction.
Positive Impacts: ecotourism ; research and education
Due to their preference for fruits of the Lauraceae family, crested quetzals and some Lauraceae species are thought to have coevolved mutualisms, with crested quetzals being important seed dispersers.
Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds
Mutualist Species:
Crested quetzals are specialized omnivores that prefer fruits of trees in the family Lauraceae. These birds eat 41 species of fruits in the family Lauraceae. Crested quetzals also eat small amphibians, reptiles, and insects.
Animal Foods: amphibians; reptiles; insects
Plant Foods: fruit
Primary Diet: omnivore
Crested quetzals are found in the neotropics, in northern and western South America, including Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia.
Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )
Crested quetzals are found in the forest canopy of second growth or mature, moist forests, including cloud forests. They are found at elevations from 1000 to 3000 meters. They are most commonly observed perching quietly in dense foliage in fruiting trees.
Range elevation: 1000 to 3000 m.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: rainforest ; mountains
Conservation efforts of a close relative, resplendent quetzals (Pharomachrus moccino), have shown that breeding rates are low and that lifespan is short in captivity. This information may be similar in crested quetzals, but no research has been done.
Characteristic of crested quetzals is their iridescent green plumage that extends from the head across the back. Females have slightly less vivid plumage than do males. The breast plumage is vivid crimson and the wings are deep violet. The beak is finely serrated, permitting a tight grip on food items. The plumage under the beak is a dull turquoise color in comparison to the brilliant colors of the body. A tuft of emerald green and turquoise feathers grows from the head, distinguishing crested quetzals from the other species of trogons. Adults grow to about 35.5 cm in length. Males can develop an emerald green, violet, and blue tail that can exceed 76 cm in length. The undersides of the tail feathers are white, which is also a diagnostic characteristic of this species.
Average length: 35 cm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger; male more colorful; ornamentation
Predators of crested quetzals include the nest predators grey squirrels and kinkajous. Ornate hawk-eagles, and a few other hawks and owls may prey on fledglings and adults.
Known Predators:
Crested quetzals form monogamous mating pairs, in which both parents care for their young. There is little available information on courtship rituals. More is known about its their close relatives, resplendent quetzals. During the mating season, male resplendent quetzals perform a spiral “sky dance” in order to attract a female mate. It is thought that the long, colorful tail of crested quetzal males is important in in female choice of a mate, but this has not been studied.
Mating System: monogamous
The breeding season is February through June. Crested quetzals excavate a hole in a decaying tree to create a nest. The excavation is thought to play a vital role in reproduction by stimulating ovulation. Female crested quetzals lay 1 to 2 eggs that are light blue in color. The incubation period is 18 days. Young hatch with their eyes closed, and they remain closed for the first week of life. Parents bring fruits, insects, and small amphibians to feed the hatchlings. During the 3rd week the largest and strongest hatchling will begin to learn to fly. As soon as the fledgling is confident in flight, at about 3 to 4 weeks, it will begin to search for its own territory. Fledglings often remain close to the male parent for the first few years of life.
Breeding interval: Crested quetzals can breed twice during a breeding season.
Breeding season: Crested quetzals breed between February and June.
Range eggs per season: 2 to 4.
Average time to hatching: 18 days.
Average fledging age: 3 weeks.
Range time to independence: 3 to 4 weeks.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; induced ovulation ; oviparous
Male and female crested quetzals stay together to feed and protect their offspring during the breeding season. Males usually incubate the eggs during the day, while females incubate at night. Once the eggs are hatched, both males and females play vital roles in the feeding, protection, and teaching of their offspring. Females will often leave the nest before the offspring are independent, leaving male parents to continue feeding and protecting their offspring until they are fledged.
Parental Investment: altricial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Male, Protecting: Male); pre-independence (Provisioning: Male, Protecting: Male); post-independence association with parents
The crested quetzal /ketSAHL/ (Pharomachrus antisianus) is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae native to South America, where it is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
French naturalist Alcide d'Orbigny described the crested quetzal in 1837 as Trogon antisianus. The species name is derived from Antis, a Latinised version of the Andes, ultimately from anti, an Incan word for copper.[2] It is closely related to the resplendent quetzal (P. mocinno).[3]
It is one of five species of the genus Pharomachrus known as quetzals. The term "quetzal" was originally used for just the resplendent quetzal, but is now applied to all members of the genera Pharomachrus and Euptilotis.
Adult birds are 33–34 cm (13–13+1⁄2 in) long. The head and upperparts of the adult male are metallic green, while its breast and belly are red. Alone among the quetzals, the male has a short crest above its short bill, which is orange.[4] The vent is white. Females have brown heads and upper breast and no crest.[3]
The crested quetzal is found along the Andes from Bolivia through Ecuador, Peru and Colombia to Venezuela, in pristine and mature second-growth forest from 1,200–3,000 m (4,000–10,000 ft) in altitude.[3] It has been rated as least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as it has a large range and its population appears to be stable.[1]
The crested quetzal is frugivorous.[3] Adults raising young also catch more nutritious prey such as arthropods and small vertebrates; one such item recorded was the glassfrog species Hyalinobatrachium pallidum.[5]
The crested quetzal /ketSAHL/ (Pharomachrus antisianus) is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae native to South America, where it is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
