White-tipped quetzal

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White-tipped quetzal
A monograph of the Trogonidae, or family of trogons (40570576671).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Trogoniformes
Family: Trogonidae
Genus: Pharomachrus
Species:
P. fulgidus
Binomial name
Pharomachrus fulgidus
(Gould, 1838)
Pharomachrus fulgidus map.svg

The white-tipped quetzal (Pharomachrus fulgidus) is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae found in Venezuela, Colombia, and Guyana. Two subspecies have been described. Pharomachrus fulgidus fulgidus is found in the mountains of northern Venezuela and Pharomachrus fulgidus festatus ranges through the Santa Marta mountains of northeast Colombia. Quetzals are iridescent and colourful birds found in forests, woodlands and humid highlands. The white-tipped quetzal has been a limited subject of research. Pharomachrus nests have been studied to analyse the effects of rainfall on breeding, however conclusions are based on single observations. [2] On the IUCN Red list of threatened species, the white-tipped quetzal is listed as a species of least concern. [1]

Contents

White-tipped Quetzal White-tipped Quetzal.jpg
White-tipped Quetzal

Identification

Morphology

The adult male white-tipped quetzal is identified by a golden, green-bronze crown and nape with bright green breast, back, rump and upper tail-coverts. The male bill is butter yellow and feet are brownish-black. The under tail-coverts and belly are a striking red, wings and upper tail are black with the under tail appearing white, thus the ‘white-tipped’ descriptive name. These broad, white backed outer rectrices occupy about a third of their length. The male has elongated feathers on the forehead, creating a short crest. The white tips of outermost rectrix are 50 mm long, next 55mm, and next 32 mm long. Adult females are less iridescent, with no frontal crest and the throat, belly and breast appearing brown-grey bordered by a green band. The female bill and feet are yellowish-brown to grey and their three outermost rectrices are also narrowly tipped with white. In immature birds, both male and female chicks have remiges, scapulars and wing coverts intermixed with buff, outer rectrices infused with white and feathers more narrow and pointed than adults. Immature females have a brown breast. Trogons are the only birds with a heterodactyl toe arrangement. [3]

Vocalisations

Hilty and colleagues (1986) describe the voice as a loud kirra, or kirra, kip, and when excited kier, kip-kip-kip-a. [4]

Habitat

The white-tipped quetzal can be found in Colombia, Venezuela and Guyana and the species is endemic to the northern South America. In Colombia and Venezuela they appear in upper tropical and subtropical zones. The white-tipped quetzal occurs in a wide variety of habitats from subtropical to temperate forests, cloud forests, secondary growth, forest edges, moist ravines and coffee plantations. Like the golden-headed and crested quetzals, they are cloud forest birds. They are rarer in Guyana, however they have been seen inhabiting the most dense areas in the barrancas (deep ravines) of forests. [3] Due to the lack of observations on the white-tipped quetzal, it is unknown why they favour these environments, however it is likely due to the temperate, humid conditions, the availability of berries and the ability to find small crevices in these areas to nest in.

Ecology

Breeding predominantly occurs towards the end of the dry season, between January and April. It is thought that the quetzal's reproductive cycle is directly correlated with fruit availability. Reproductive activities including courtship, nesting and chick rearing occur when fruits are most abundant in the forest conditions. This aids the species during energy-demanding phases of their life which may increase the probability of successful reproduction. [5] White-tipped quetzal nests are usually located in isolated, non-native trees, sometimes in previous holes of woodpeckers and often in dead tree trunks 4–10m above the ground. [3] Nests have been observed in an old cavity, excavated by a Woodpecker, in a dead snag, approximately 5 m above the ground at an elevation of 1600 m. They can also nest in termite nests, laying 2–4 white or pastel-coloured eggs and there were subtle differences in egg color and size. First breeding is usually at one to two years of age. The altricial young hatch naked, quickly molting into their immature plumage without a significant downy stage. This fast, naked-to-feathered progression may be an ancestral characteristic or a result of nesting in cavities where the temperature is constant and down is not needed for temperature regulation. The species fledges in around three weeks and obtains adult plumage after their second prebasic molt. [3] There is little data on the survival rates and competition of the white-tipped quetzal however its IUCN status suggests that the population is stable.

Diet

The white-tipped quetzal feeds on fruits and berries and has been observed collecting these by means of sallying from a perch. One individual has also been seen eating a large lizard on at least one occasion. [6] Their wide bills and weak legs reflect their diet within arboreal areas.

Behaviour

The specific behavioural habits of the white-tipped quetzal have not been studied in detail. However, it is presumed that they partake in the general behavioural patterns of the trogon family. The white-tipped quetzal is a fast flyer, but reluctant to fly long distances. Trogons are generally non-migratory. Some species undertake partial local movements, however it is presumed that the white-tipped quetzal is a sedentary species. Trogons are usually inactive outside of intermittent feeding flights. They find food by the most commonly used technique for Trogons, which is a sally-glean flight where a trogon flies from a perch to its target on a branch or within foliage. Once it has arrived at its target the bird hovers and then grabs the item before returning to its original perch to consume the seed or berry. It has been noted that although the White-tipped quetzal is striking and beautiful, it has few to no further engaging qualities. [3] This lack of activity is presumably a defence against predation, likely to compensate for their famous bright feathers. Trogons have been observed moving from branch to branch, keeping their brightly coloured feathers sheltered from potential observers while also keeping watch using their flexible necks, which can turn through 180 degrees. These anti-predatory techniques provide an effective camouflage within their natural wooded habitats.

Threats

Predators of the White-tipped quetzal have not been recorded, however Trogons have reportedly been preyed upon by predatory mammals and hawks. One report of a Resplendent quetzal taken, while caring for chicks, by a margay. [7]

Pharomachrus quetzals are also at risk of parasites, similar to those who live on songbirds or pigeons in the same general area. Ornithoctona nitens, native to neotropical America, appears to be a parasite specific to the family Trogonidae. The white-tipped quetzal nests in old tree cavities, potentially limiting the population. The availability of nesting sites can often limit the reproductive and survival rates of birds within such populations. [8] Habitat loss has also been found to be an increased threat for species in the Americas and the Cordillera de Caripe and Paria, where White-tipped quetzals abide, is currently threatened by the destruction of natural habitats. The destruction of forested areas in the Neotropics largely threatens wood-cavity nesting birds as the use of their nesting sites directly relies on the presence of trees. Even sustainable forestry practices, for example the removal of dead trees, will increase the risk of population declines in wood-cavity nesting birds.

Population and Conservation

Population size and distribution

The white-tipped quetzal is endemic to the Americas. The species occurs at altitudes of 900–1900 m in Venezuela, in the coastal cordillera from Yaracuy to Miranda, to the middle cordillera on Cerro Golfo Triste and spreading to the eastern cordillera in Anzoátegui, the northern Monagas, and Sucre east to Cerro Humo. [3] The species is also found at altitudes of 1500–2500 m, distributed through Colombia's Santa Marta mountains in the Sierra Nevada. [3] However, a white-tipped quetzal was reported at an elevation of 725–775 m in a cafetel in Cucuchica, Venezuela, which suggests that the species has a greater range of distribution than has been observed. The white-tipped quetzal is also native to Guyana, however its status there is unclear and the distribution of its population there has not been documented. This is likely due to the species inhabiting the most dense and savage areas and barrancas of the tropical forests. Though it has the smallest distribution of any quetzal, it is fairly common within the ranges where it is found. Due to the lack of studies on the white-tipped quetzal, specific population numbers have not been predicted.

Status and Conservation

Although the white-tipped quetzal may have a restricted range, it is not predicted to approach the boundary for Vulnerable under the range size criteria, the population trend criteria or the population size criteria. This is because the species population is not declining or fluctuating, their habitat quality is stable and their population structure is firm and not subject to fragmentation. For these reasons the white-tipped quetzal is listed as a species of Least Concern on the IUCN Red list of threatened species. [6] This means that no conservation strategies for the white-tipped quetzal or its habitats are planned or taking place. However it is noted that more research must be done on the species and its population statistics. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trogon</span> Family of birds

The trogons and quetzals are birds in the order Trogoniformes which contains only one family, the Trogonidae. The family Trogonidae contains 46 species in seven genera. The fossil record of the trogons dates back 49 million years to the Early Eocene. They might constitute a member of the basal radiation of the order Coraciiformes and order Passeriformes or be closely related to mousebirds and owls. The word trogon is Greek for "nibbling" and refers to the fact that these birds gnaw holes in trees to make their nests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quetzal</span> Group of birds

Quetzals are strikingly colored birds in the trogon family. They are found in forests, especially in humid highlands, with the five species from the genus Pharomachrus being exclusively Neotropical, while a single species, the eared quetzal, Euptilotis neoxenus, is found in Guatemala, sometimes in Mexico and very locally in the southernmost United States. In the highlands of the states of Sonora, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, Nayarit, Zacatecas, Jalisco, and Michoacán, the eared quetzal can be found from northwest to west-central Mexico. It is a Mesoamerican indigenous species, but some reports show that it occasionally travels and nests in southeastern Arizona and New Mexico in the United States. June to October is the mating season for eared quetzals. Quetzals are fairly large, slightly bigger than other trogon species. The resplendent quetzal is the national bird of Guatemala because of its vibrant colour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collared trogon</span> Species of bird

The collared trogon is a near passerine bird in family Trogonidae, the quetzals and trogons. It is found in Mexico, throughout Central America, and in northern South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guianan trogon</span> Species of bird

The Guianan trogon, is a near passerine bird in the trogon and quetzal family Trogonidae. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Resplendent quetzal</span> Species of bird

The resplendent quetzal is a small bird found in southern Mexico and Central America that lives in tropical forests, particularly montane cloud forests. They are part of the family Trogonidae and have two recognized subspecies, P. m. mocinno and P. m. costaricensis. Like other quetzals, the resplendent is mostly omnivorous; its diet mainly consists of fruits of plants in the laurel family, Lauraceae, but it occasionally also preys on insects, lizards, frogs and snails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden-headed quetzal</span> Species of bird

The golden-headed quetzal or corequenque is a strikingly coloured bird in the genus Pharomachrus; it is also referred to as Trogon auriceps. It is found in moist mid-elevation forests from eastern Panama to northern Bolivia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slaty-tailed trogon</span> Species of bird

The slaty-tailed trogon is a near passerine bird in the family Trogonidae, the quetzals and trogons. It is found in Mexico, throughout Central America, and in Colombia and Ecuador.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elegant trogon</span> Species of bird

The elegant trogon, also known as the coppery-tailed trogon, is a near passerine bird in the trogon family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eared quetzal</span> Species of bird

The eared quetzal, also known as the eared trogon, is a near passerine bird in the trogon family, Trogonidae. It is native to streamside pine-oak forests and canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico south to western Michoacán, and southeasternmost Arizona and New Mexico in the United States. This range includes part of the Madrean Sky Islands region of southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and northern Sonora.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-banded swallow</span> Species of bird

The white-banded swallow is a species of bird in the family Hirundinidae. It is black with white thighs, a white breast, and has white bars on the edges of its wings. It has a distinct, deeply forked tail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-headed trogon</span> Species of bird

The red-headed trogon is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-naped trogon</span> Species of bird

The red-naped trogon is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crested quetzal</span> Species of bird

The crested quetzal /ketSAHL/ 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pavonine quetzal</span> Species of bird

The pavonine quetzal is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae, the trogons. It is also known at the peacock trogon, red-billed train bearer, or viuda pico rojo in Spanish. The pavonine quetzal lives in the Neotropics, more specifically in the northern region of the Amazon basin, spreading from Colombia to Bolivia. The most notable characteristics helpful in identifying this bird are its plumage, red beak, and its distribution - it is the only quetzal occupying the lowland rainforest east of the Andes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hispaniolan trogon</span> Species of bird endemic to Hispaniola

The Hispaniolan trogon is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae. It is endemic to Hispaniola in the Caribbean. It is one of the only two trogon species found in the Caribbean. It is the national bird of Haiti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baird's trogon</span> Species of bird

Baird's trogon is a species of bird belonging to the family Trogonidae, the quetzals and trogons. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama. Its name commemorates Spencer Fullerton Baird, a 19th-century naturalist and first curator of the Smithsonian Institution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Citreoline trogon</span> Species of bird

The citreoline trogon is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae. It is endemic to western Mexico, with an estimated distribution size of 539,000 km2 Due to this very large range, the IUCN consider it a species of Least Concern and that the current population trend is stable. T. citreolus has also been studied as an Ecosystem engineer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain trogon</span> Species of bird

The mountain trogon, also known as the Mexican trogon, is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae. First described by William John Swainson in 1827, it is resident in Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico and has occurred in El Salvador as a vagrant. Like all trogons, the mountain trogon is sexually dimorphic. The male is metallic green on the crown, nape, upperparts and chest, the latter separated from its bright red belly and vent by a narrow band of white. The female is warm brown on the head, upperparts and chest, separated from its paler brown lower chest and red belly and vent by a narrow white band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gartered trogon</span> Species of bird

The gartered trogon, also known as the northern violaceous trogon, is a bird in the family Trogonidae, the quetzals and trogons. It is found in Mexico, all of Central America, and Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amazonian trogon</span> Species of bird

The Amazonian trogon, is a bird in the family Trogonidae, the trogons and quetzals. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2016). "Pharomachrus fulgidus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22682735A92958909. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22682735A92958909.en . Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Pulgarin, Paulo; Laverde, Oscar (September 17, 2014). "The nest and eggs of the white-tipped quetzal (Pharomachrus fulgidus) from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, northern Colombia". The Wilson Journal of Ornithology. 130 (3): 1559–4491. doi:10.1676/14-018.1 . Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 T. S. Schulenberg (ed.). "White-tipped Quetzal (Pharomachrus fulgidus)". Neotropical Birds Online. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.
  4. ↑ Steven L. Hilty; William L. Brown; Bill Brown (1986). A Guide to the Birds of Colombia. Princeton University Press. ISBN   0-691-08372-X.
  5. ↑ Solorzano, Sofia; Castillo, Silvia; Valverde, Teresa; Ivila, Lourdes (2000). "Quetzal abundance in relation to fruit availability in a cloud forest in southeastern Mexico". Biotropica. 32 (3): 523–532. doi:10.1111/j.1744-7429.2000.tb00498.x. JSTOR   2663884.
  6. 1 2 "White-tipped Quetzal (Pharomachrus fulgidus)". BirdLife species factsheet. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  7. ↑ Wheelwright, Nathaniel T. (1983). "Fruits and the ecology of resplendent quetzals" (PDF). The Auk. 100 (2): 286–301. doi:10.1093/auk/100.2.286.
  8. ↑ Siegfried, Dennis G.; Linville, Daniel S.; Hille, David (2010). "Analysis of nest sites of the resplendent quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno): relationship between nest and snag heights". The Wilson Journal of Ornithology. 122 (3): 608–611. doi:10.1676/09-191.1. JSTOR   40962188.

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Songs and calls
Listen to the white-tipped quetzal on xeno-canto


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