Blue-tailed Trogon

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Quick Facts

  • Scientific Name: Trogon comptus
  • Spanish Name: Trogón del Chocó
  • Family: Trogonidae
  • Known Nicknames: Blue-tailed Trogon, Chocó Trogon
  • Average Length: 28–29 cm / 11–11.4 in
  • Average Weight: 95–110 g / 3.4–3.9 oz
  • Wingspan: 38–42 cm / 15–16.5 in
  • Key Feature: Striking white eyes (irises), bright red belly, and dark blue-black tail without barring
  • Primary Diet: Omnivorous (Frugivore and Insectivore)
  • Range: Chocó region of western Colombia and northwestern Ecuador
  • Habitat: Tropical moist lowland forests and foothill forests
  • Social Structure: Solitary or in pairs
  • Nesting/Breeding: Tree cavities (often excavated in rotting wood or termite nests)
  • Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC)
  • Population Trend: Decreasing

The Blue-tailed Trogon (Trogon comptus), also known as the Chocó Trogon, inhabits lowland and foothill rainforest in western Colombia and Ecuador. Both sexes have white eyes, a red belly and an unmarked black tail; the male is green with a black face, while the female is gray.

Fun Facts

Blue-tailed Trogons often perch high in trees for long periods before making short flights to take fruit or insects. Their song is a long series of mellow whistles.

Habitats & Distribution

This species is restricted to the Chocó biogeographic region of South America, stretching along the Pacific slope of the Andes from western Colombia south to northwestern Ecuador. Within this geographical range, it is endemic to the highly humid coastal and foothill corridor, which is renowned for its exceptional biodiversity and high annual rainfall.

It primarily inhabits the canopy and middle strata of wet, humid lowland and premontane evergreen forests. While it shows a strong preference for pristine, undisturbed primary rainforests, it can also occasionally be found in mature secondary forests. It typically occupies elevations from near sea level up to around 1,200 meters, staying within the dense, lush foliage of its tropical environment.

Behaviours & Reproduction

Typically observed singly or in monogamous pairs, this species exhibits a quiet and relatively sedentary lifestyle, often remaining motionless in the middle and upper canopy of humid forests for extended periods. While territorial during the breeding season, they are generally non-aggressive and may occasionally join mixed-species foraging flocks to feed on fruits and insects. Communication between mates relies on soft, repetitive vocalizations used to advertise territory boundaries and maintain contact within the dense foliage.

During the breeding season, pairs engage in a cooperative nesting strategy, working together to excavate a cavity in decaying tree trunks, stumps, or occasionally active arboreal termite nests. Utilizing termite nests is a specialized reproductive strategy that provides the eggs with a stable microclimate and protection from certain predators. Both the male and female share incubation duties for the typically two-egg clutch and cooperate closely in brooding and feeding the altricial chicks until they are ready to fledge.

Diet

The Choco Trogon (*Trogon comptus*) maintains a diverse, omnivorous diet consisting primarily of a wide variety of forest fruits and various invertebrates, such as caterpillars, cicadas, beetles, and grasshoppers. An intriguing aspect of its feeding behavior is its reliance on "sallying" or hover-gleaning, a technique where the bird perches quietly to scan its surroundings before launching into a brief, hovering flight to pluck fruit or snatch insects directly from the foliage. To assist with this lifestyle, the Choco Trogon possesses a specialized, finely serrated bill that provides a firm grip on slippery tropical fruits and helps saw through tough insect exoskeletons. Furthermore, because it typically swallows fruits whole and later regurgitates the seeds undamaged, this species serves as a vital ecological seed disperser within the wet, humid forests of the Chocó biogeographic region.

Colors

Both sexes have a red belly, conspicuous white eyes and an unmarked black tail. The male is green with a black face; the female is gray with a dark upper bill.

Distribution Map

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