Richard Caugherty, age 12s of Natrona, Penna., for his questions
What is the resplendent trogon?
Resplendent is an adjective which means shining with splendor. And no creature deserves this adjective more than the trogon. For most experts believe him the Most Beautiful Bird in the World. It is believed that, in the dim past, varieties of the brilliant trogon lived in Europe and many other parts of the world. Now they are found only in parts of ' Africa, Indo‑Malaya and the semi‑tropical regions of the new world. There are 34 trogon cousins, each resplendent with vivid plumage.
Our Indians, as we all know, love gaily colored feathers. So we are not surprised to learn that one of the trogon birds was sacred to the Mayas and the Aztecs of Central America. They called this handsome bird the quetzal and he was the special bird of their gentle god Quetzalcoatl ‑the so‑called feathered serpent. Their word quetzal means tail feathers and the resplendent quetzal certainly earns his name.
He is about the size of a large chicken. A group of long, slender feathers growing from above his tail hang down two feet or more behind him. These long, trailing feathers glow like vivid green metal. They hang over the true tail feathers, which are boldly marked with black and white. No wonder he was named quetzal ‑ Mr. Tail‑feathers.
His back, wings and head are also vivid metallic green and a bib of the same gorgeous color falls around his neck and throat. The chest and stomach are covered with soft feathers of brilliant red. Ands on his head, this resplendent bird wears a long, green crest.
Mrs. Quetzal, however, is not a gaudy dresser like her husband. Nor does she wear a long feathered train. She is dressed in modest brown with here and there dust a hint of color. Usually when the father bird is so gaily dressed he spends all of his time preening and strutting. He leaves the nest building and child care to his drab little wife. This is not so at all among the trogon birds.
Papa is a devoted and hard working husband and father. In fact, it is usual to find those birds in pairs.
The nest is built in the hollow of a rotting tree. The parents may find a hole or dig one for themselves, clinging like woodpeckers while they court. The mama lays two to four eggs which may be pale green, pale blue or white.
Both parents take turns sitting on the eggs. Sometimes, when the nest is in a small hollow, papa finds this fob very uncomfortable. His trailing tail feathers get in the way. However, the devoted father does not shirk. He simply turns his long tail feathers up and over his back and head.
Trogons dine on insects caught as they fly through the air. They are also fond of termites and sometimes dig their homes in the wall of a termites' nest. For desserts these lovely birds eat fruit.