Trogons | Trogonidae

Trogons | Trogones

Five species of trogon live in the region. Two are endemic: Cuban Trogon, in red, white and blue the national bird of Cuba, and Hispaniolan Trogon. Trinidad and Tobago hold three species of the genus Trogon, of which Collared Trogon also occurs on Tobago. The body is compact, the head large and the neck short, and the bird sits upright and all but motionless for long periods on a branch in the forest, turning only its head; it is therefore often the series of hollow notes rather than the bird itself that betrays its presence. The bill is short and wide with a large gape and finely serrated cutting edges. In the Trogon species the male is metallic green or blue on head, breast and back; the sheen comes from the structure of the feather rather than from pigment. The nest is a cavity in rotten wood, a termite nest or an old woodpecker hole.