The bar-tailed trogon is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae. It is a resident bird to central Africa that eats primarily insects and fruit.
Region
Central and East African montane forests
Typical Environment
Found in evergreen montane and submontane forests, including bamboo stands and gallery forests along streams. It favors the midstory and lower canopy, especially near forest edges, ravines, and clearings within mature woodland. The species is most frequently recorded in the Albertine Rift, extending through highlands from eastern DRC to western Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, with outliers in other highland blocks. It relies on older forest with decayed wood or soft substrates for nesting cavities.
Altitude Range
1200–3000 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The bar-tailed trogon is a quiet, canopy-dwelling trogon named for the bold black-and-white barring on the underside of the tail. Males are striking with metallic green upperparts and a crimson belly, while females are browner and more subdued. It often sits motionless for long periods before sallying out to catch insects and will also take small fruits. Its presence is a good indicator of healthy montane forest.
Temperament
shy and unobtrusive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief glides
Social Behavior
Typically seen singly or in pairs, sometimes with a dependent juvenile. Pairs are territorial in the breeding season and nest in cavities they excavate in rotten wood or sometimes in arboreal termitaria. Both sexes share incubation and chick-rearing duties.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A soft series of resonant hoots or cooing notes, often accelerating or delivered in pairs. Calls are low, mellow, and carry through forest gullies, given most often at dawn and in overcast conditions.
