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BIRDGACHA / FIELD NOTES

Trogons

Broad heads, short necks and long tails give trogons a compact, upright outline on a branch. Many males show striking green, blue or red areas, while females can be much plainer; undertail bars, eye-ring colour and the boundary between breast and belly help distinguish similar birds. Examples include Narina Trogon (Apaloderma narina), Javan Trogon (Apalharpactes reinwardtii), and Elegant Trogon (Trogon elegans). Fruit and arthropods contribute in different proportions, often taken during short flights from a quiet perch within the forest. The pattern beneath the tail and the boundaries of breast and belly colours offer useful contrasts on a perched trogon.

How to recognize Trogons

  • Compare the broad head and upright posture with other forest birds.
  • Check undertail barring and the extent of pale tail edges.
  • Record eye-ring colour and the breast-to-belly pattern.
  • Allow for plain females and use continent and elevation to narrow identification.

Where they live

The family occurs in tropical and subtropical forests in the Americas, Africa and Asia. Lowland rainforest, seasonal woodland and montane forest support different trogons and quetzals. Forest structure and elevation are important: an Asian woodland trogon and an American cloud-forest quetzal should not inherit the same narrow habitat description simply because they share a family. Check continent and elevation before comparing colours, and allow for the substantial differences between male and female plumages.

Species accounts: Narina Trogon · Javan Trogon · Elegant Trogon

Sources — natural history: Arizona State University: Elegant Trogon identification and natural history · Cornell Birds of the World: Narina Trogon (Apaloderma narina), member species natural history.

Classification: IOC World Bird List: family names and classification.

Some Cornell Birds of the World account sections require a subscription.

Updated 2026-11-06. Species counts follow this site's catalogue. This is an editorial summary, not an expert peer review.

Explore similarities in appearance, feeding and habitat. These comparisons do not necessarily indicate the closest evolutionary relatives.

Species records retain their original English, Chinese and scientific names.

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Narina TrogonNarina TrogonApaloderma narinaBare-cheeked TrogonBare-cheeked TrogonApaloderma aequatorialeBar-tailed TrogonBar-tailed TrogonApaloderma vittatumJavan TrogonJavan TrogonApalharpactes reinwardtiiSumatran TrogonSumatran TrogonApalharpactes macklotiMalabar TrogonMalabar TrogonHarpactes fasciatusRed-naped TrogonRed-naped TrogonHarpactes kasumbaDiard's TrogonDiard's TrogonHarpactes diardiiPhilippine TrogonPhilippine TrogonHarpactes ardensWhitehead's TrogonWhitehead's TrogonHarpactes whiteheadiCinnamon-rumped TrogonCinnamon-rumped TrogonHarpactes orrhophaeusScarlet-rumped TrogonScarlet-rumped TrogonHarpactes duvauceliiOrange-breasted TrogonOrange-breasted TrogonHarpactes oreskiosRed-headed TrogonRed-headed TrogonHarpactes erythrocephalusWard's TrogonWard's TrogonHarpactes wardiEared QuetzalEared QuetzalEuptilotis neoxenusPavonine QuetzalPavonine QuetzalPharomachrus pavoninusGolden-headed QuetzalGolden-headed QuetzalPharomachrus auricepsResplendent QuetzalResplendent QuetzalPharomachrus mocinnoWhite-tipped QuetzalWhite-tipped QuetzalPharomachrus fulgidusCrested QuetzalCrested QuetzalPharomachrus antisianusCuban TrogonCuban TrogonPriotelus temnurusHispaniolan TrogonHispaniolan TrogonPriotelus roseigasterLattice-tailed TrogonLattice-tailed TrogonTrogon clathratusSlaty-tailed TrogonSlaty-tailed TrogonTrogon massenaChoco TrogonChoco TrogonTrogon comptusEcuadorian TrogonEcuadorian TrogonTrogon mesurusBlack-tailed TrogonBlack-tailed TrogonTrogon melanurusBlack-headed TrogonBlack-headed TrogonTrogon melanocephalusCitreoline TrogonCitreoline TrogonTrogon citreolusWhite-tailed TrogonWhite-tailed TrogonTrogon chionurusBaird's TrogonBaird's TrogonTrogon bairdiiGreen-backed TrogonGreen-backed TrogonTrogon viridisGartered TrogonGartered TrogonTrogon caligatusAmazonian TrogonAmazonian TrogonTrogon ramonianusGuianan TrogonGuianan TrogonTrogon violaceusBlue-crowned TrogonBlue-crowned TrogonTrogon curucuiSurucua TrogonSurucua TrogonTrogon surrucuraNorthern Black-throated TrogonNorthern Black-throated TrogonTrogon tenellusChoco Black-throated TrogonChoco Black-throated TrogonTrogon cupreicaudaAmazonian Black-throated TrogonAmazonian Black-throated TrogonTrogon rufusAtlantic Black-throated TrogonAtlantic Black-throated TrogonTrogon chrysochlorosCoppery-tailed TrogonCoppery-tailed TrogonTrogon ambiguusElegant TrogonElegant TrogonTrogon elegansMountain TrogonMountain TrogonTrogon mexicanusCollared TrogonCollared TrogonTrogon collarisMasked TrogonMasked TrogonTrogon personatus