Guianan Trogon

The Guianan trogon, Trogon violaceus, is a near passerine bird belonging to the trogon and quetzal family, Trogonidae. Exhibiting sexual dimorphism, the males are adorned with a violet-blue head and metallic green upperparts, while females display a more subdued palette of grays and yellows.

Identification Tips

Males of this species can be identified by their violet-blue head, black mask and throat, and bright yellow underparts, separated by a narrow white band. Their upperparts shine with a metallic green, and their wings, finely marked with black and white, give a dark gray-brown appearance. Females, on the other hand, have a dark gray head and upperparts with thinly barred black and white wings, and a duller yellow belly with a gray wash on the flanks.

Habitat

The Guianan trogon is known to inhabit semi-open landscapes, including savanna, forest edges and openings, young secondary forests, as well as cacao and coffee plantations.

Distribution

This non-migratory bird graces the skies of eastern Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern Brazil, ascending to elevations as high as 1,200 meters in Venezuela.

Behaviour

The Guianan trogon is a solitary bird, although it may occasionally join mixed-species foraging flocks. It is known for its unique feeding behavior, where it hovers to pluck fruit and arthropods after short sallies from a perch.

Song & Calls

The song of the Guianan trogon is a series of rapid, hollow, downslurred whistles, reminiscent of "kyu-kyu-kyu-kyu-kyu-kyu," while its calls include a rolling chattering.

Breeding

Breeding season for the Guianan trogon is not fully defined but is thought to occur between November and June. They nest in cavities within arboreal wasp, ant, or termite nests, as well as in rotten wood or fern root masses. Clutch size is typically two or three eggs, with fledging occurring at least 17 days post-hatching.

Similar Species

The Guianan trogon was previously grouped with the gartered trogon and the Amazonian trogon as subspecies, but these are now considered separate species.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Guianan trogon consists mainly of fruit and arthropods, which it captures in flight after short sallies from a perch.

Conservation status

The IUCN has not assessed the Guianan trogon separately from the broader category of the violaceous trogon. It is described as rare and local in Venezuela, but common in Trinidad and Suriname.