Quetzal

Esta fotografia de um Quetzal foi obtida por © Donna J. Provancher  na Guatemala. É o nosso quetzal para esta sexta-feira – bom fim-de-semana e boas leituras!

E uma nota: The Quetzal, reputed to be the most beautiful bird that exists in the American continents, belongs to the Trogan family. The iridescent color of its plumage appears green or blue, according to the changes of daytime light. In Guatemala, it lives in the mountainous, subtropical, humid regions of the departments of Quiche, the Verapazes, Huehuetenango, San Marcos, and Suchitepequez. The vegetation of the territory it inhabits is quite dense and rich in humus. In this habitat, the Quetzal searches for an old tree trunk situated in a tiny forest clearing to make its nest. There, in February through April, the hen lays one or two eggs. Both the hen and cock take turns during the 18-day period of incubation. The male Quetzal enters the nest, always leaving his beautiful tail plumes outside so as not to injure them. The female doesn't have this problem, for her tail feathers are very short. After the birth of the nestlings, their parents feed them with worms, insects, and larvae. The adults will eat forest fruits. The young can fly 20 days after birth, and abandon the nest to cut freely through the skies of [Guatemala]. If the Quetzal is confined to a cage, it dies. The Quetzal cannot live in captivity. For this reason, it is the emblem of our liberty.