Baird's trogon is a bird species belonging to the family Trogonidae, which includes quetzals and trogons. It is native to Costa Rica and Panama. The species is named in honor of Spencer Fullerton Baird, a renowned naturalist of the 19th century who served as the first curator of the Smithsonian Institution.
Region
Southern Central America (Pacific slope of Costa Rica and western Panama)
Typical Environment
Occurs primarily in humid lowland and foothill evergreen forests on the Pacific slope, including tall primary forest, riverine corridors, and well-shaded secondary growth. It keeps to the interior and edges of mature forest, often near streams. Birds perch quietly in the midstory to subcanopy and may venture to forest edges when fruiting trees are available.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 900 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Baird's trogon is a Pacific-slope forest specialist of southern Central America, named for the 19th‑century naturalist Spencer Fullerton Baird. It favors mature lowland rainforest and is notably sensitive to deforestation and fragmentation. Like many trogons, it nests in cavities, often using arboreal termite nests or rotten wood.
Temperament
solitary and quiet
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between perches
Social Behavior
Usually encountered alone or in pairs, remaining motionless for long periods on shaded perches. Pairs maintain small territories during the breeding season. Nests are excavated in soft, decayed wood or in active or abandoned arboreal termite nests; both sexes participate in excavation and incubation.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a series of mellow, hollow cooing notes delivered in a measured tempo, often accelerating slightly. Calls include soft cow or kow notes that carry through dense forest, especially at dawn.
