Golden-headed Quetzal - BirdForum Opus

Photo by Stanley Jones
Refugio Paz de los Aves, Ecuador, December, 2007

Pharomachrus auriceps

Identification

Length 33.5-35.5cm

Male:

Brilliant emeral green above, with scarlet chest and belly.
Head is forest green with golden sheen on top.
Wings black with white patches.
Bill orange-yellow

Female:

Brilliant emeral green above (not as bright as male), with brownish chest and orange belly.
Head is brownish.
Wings black with white patches.
Bill brown

Juvenile: Brilliant emeral green above (not as bright as an adult), with scarlet chest and belly (not as bright as an adult) .
Head is brownish.
Wings black with white patches.
Bill orange-yellow

Distribution

Central America: Panama
South America: Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized:^[1]

• P. a. hargitti:

• Mountains of eastern Colombia and western Venezuela

• P. a. auriceps:

• Mountains of eastern Panama to northern Bolivia

Female
Photo by COLOMBIA Birding
Eastern Andes, Colombia, June 2010

Habitat

Subcanopy and mid-levels of subtropical and temperate forest on both slopes of the Andes, mostly between 1000 and 2800m.

Behaviour

Diet

Frugivorous. Swoops to take fruit with a flutter of wings.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Avibase

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Golden-headed Quetzal. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 10 November 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Golden-headed_Quetzal

External Links

Search for photos of Golden-headed Quetzal in the gallery

• View movie-file of this species (in Picasa video format) here.