Citreoline Trogon

The Citreoline Trogon, Trogon citreolus, is a bird of striking appearance, belonging to the family Trogonidae. It is a creature of the woodlands, endemic to the western regions of Mexico.

Identification Tips

Adult males of this species are characterized by a uniform gray head and upper breast, with a metallic green mantle that transitions to a violet-blue rump. Their bill is a pale blue-grey, and their eyes are a captivating yellow. The uppertail is blue-green with a black tip, and the wings are dark, adorned with white on the outer webs of the primaries. A distinctive creamy white breastband separates the dark gray upper breast from the bright yellow belly and undertail. Females, while similar, are dark gray above with a paler gray breast and a more subdued yellow belly. Both sexes boast dark bills, yellow eyes, and predominantly white undertails.

Habitat

The Citreoline Trogon is found in a variety of environments, including arid or semi-arid woodlands, low coastal jungles, thorny brushlands, thorn-forests, mangroves, and plantations.

Distribution

This species has a large range, estimated at 539,000 km², exclusively within western Mexico.

Behaviour

The Citreoline Trogon is known to nest in cavities within arboreal termite nests, a technique thought to play a critical role in creating necessary cavities for many organisms in tropical dry forests. During the mating season, these birds engage in elaborate courtship displays, involving tail jerking and wing shaking, occasionally darting at one another in a show of ritualized competition.

Song & Calls

The vocalizations of the Citreoline Trogon are reminiscent of an antbird, consisting of a rapid sequence of low, throaty, short notes. During nesting, they emit low, whining notes akin to the grunts of newborn puppies.

Breeding

Reproduction occurs between May and August, with the Citreoline Trogon nesting in arboreal termite nests. Each nest typically contains 2-4 eggs, sheltered within the relative safety of the vegetation.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Citreoline Trogon varies seasonally, with a preference for fruit from January to June and insects from July to November. They are adept at catching flying insects mid-hover at the end of a long upward or outward dart. Their prey includes a wide array of insects such as dragonflies, mantises, grasshoppers, and caterpillars. They also consume the orange pulp of the Central American rubber tree and the green fruiting catkins of cecropia.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the Citreoline Trogon as Least Concern, with a stable population trend, thanks to its extensive range.

Similar Species

In areas near Ocozocoautla de Espinosa, the Citreoline Trogon may overlap with the Black-headed Trogon. The Citreoline can be distinguished by its paler overall appearance and more extensive white in the undertail, extending to the undertail coverts in the outer webs, and by lacking the dark eye and white eyering of the Black-headed Trogon.

Subspecies

There are two recognized subspecies of the Citreoline Trogon:

• Trogon citreolus citreolus, found on the Pacific slope of Mexico from Sinaloa to Oaxaca.
• Trogon citreolus sumichrasti, inhabiting the Pacific coastal plain of Mexico in Oaxaca and Chiapas.