Slaty-tailed trogon

Photo by Thore Noernberg (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
slaty-tailed trogon (en); surucuá-de-cauda-escura (pt); trogon de Masséna (fr); trogón grande (es); schieferschwanztrogon (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Trogoniformes
Family Trogonidae

Range:
This species is found from southern Mexico, through Central America and into western Colombia and north-western Ecuador.

Size:
The slaty-tailed trogon is 30 cm long and weighs around 145 g.

Habitat:
They are mainly found in tropical and sub-tropical rainforests, but also in mangroves, secondary forests and plantations, from sea level up to an altitude of 1.200 m.

Diet:
Slaty-tailed trogons feed on insects and other arthropods, as well as fruits. To a lesser extent they also take small vertebrates such as lizards and frogs.

Breeding:
These birds are monogamous. They nest in a hollow excavated into a rotting tree trunk or a termite nests, 3-15 m above the ground. There the female lays 3 white or pale blue eggs, which are incubated by both parents for 16-21 days. The chicks are fed insects by both parents and fledge 3-4 weeks after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status – LC (Least Concern)
The slaty-tailed trogon has a large breeding range and a global population estimated at 20.000-50.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats. Even though this species is not threatened at present, they are sensitive to habitat destruction and may face population declines in the future as deforestation affects tropical forests within their range.