Northern black-throated trogon

The northern black-throated trogon, also known as the graceful black-throated trogon, is a bird in the family Trogonidae, the trogons and quetzals. It is found from southeastern Honduras to northwestern Colombia.

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Distribution

Region

Central America and Chocó region

Typical Environment

Occurs from southeastern Honduras through Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama into the humid Chocó of northwestern Colombia. Inhabits mature evergreen lowland rainforest, tall secondary forest, gallery forest, and forest edges. Often keeps to the shaded understory and midstory, especially along streams and in ravines. Tolerates some disturbance and may use shaded plantations, but avoids open habitats.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 1200 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size23–25 cm

Wing Span34–38 cm

Male Weight0.06 kg

Female Weight0.055 kg

Life Expectancy8 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

The northern black-throated trogon is a quiet, forest-dwelling trogon of humid lowland and foothill rainforests from southeastern Honduras to northwestern Colombia. Males show a striking black throat contrasting with metallic green upperparts and a bright yellow belly, while females are browner and more subdued. It often sits motionless for long periods, then sallies to snatch insects or plucks small fruits. Nests are typically excavated in rotten wood or arboreal termitaria.

Gallery

Behaviour

Temperament

quiet and sedentary

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with brief glides between perches

Social Behavior

Usually found singly or in pairs, sometimes accompanying mixed-species flocks in the understory. Breeding pairs excavate a cavity in rotten wood or an active/abandoned termitarium. Clutch is small, and both sexes participate in incubation and feeding.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Song is a soft, measured series of hoots or coos, often descending in pitch and delivered from a shaded perch. Calls include low, hollow notes and soft clucks. Vocalizations can be easily overlooked in noisy rainforest conditions.

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Identification

Leg Colorbluish-grey

Eye Colordark brown

Plumage

Male with metallic green head and upperparts, glossy black throat and upper breast, and bright yellow belly; tail above green, below mostly white with fine dark barring. Female is warm brown above with grayish throat and breast, yellowish belly, and similar barred white undertail. Both sexes have a complete yellow orbital ring and short, broad bill.

Feeding Habits

Diet

Takes a mixed diet of insects and small fruits. Hunts by sit-and-wait from a shaded perch, sallying to snatch flying or perched arthropods such as beetles, orthopterans, and caterpillars. Also plucks berries and small fruits from forest shrubs and trees, swallowing them whole and dispersing seeds.

Preferred Environment

Feeds in the forest understory and midstory, along stream corridors and shady edges. Sometimes forages in semi-open, well-shaded plantations or secondary forest where canopy cover remains.

Population

Total Known Populationunknown

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