Trogon elegans
Elegant Trogon (Trogon elegans)
Featured photoelegant-trogon.jpgTrogon elegans, the elegant trogon, is a medium-sized trogon of the family Trogonidae, distributed from southeastern Arizona south through Mexico to Costa Rica. Adults are 28 to 30 cm long with a wingspan of about 40 cm and weigh 60 to 75 g. Adult males show iridescent emerald-green upperparts with a sharp white breast band above a vivid crimson belly. The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern. The species is the only Trogon to reach the United States, where it occupies a small breeding range in the sky-island pine-oak canyons of extreme southeastern Arizona.
Quick facts
- Habitat
- Pine-oak woodland and tropical deciduous forest at montane elevations. The species favours mature forests with abundant tree cavities for nesting and dense fruit-producing understorey for feeding.
- Range
- Southeastern Arizona (USA), most of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. The Arizona population breeds in pine-oak canyons of the Huachuca, Chiricahua, and Santa Rita mountains.
- Size
- 28–30 cm body · 40 cm wingspan · 60–75 g
- Plumage
- Adult males show iridescent emerald-green upperparts including the head, back, and tail; a sharp white breast band; a vivid rose-red belly and undertail; finely barred grey-and-white wing patches; and a yellow bill. Adult females show olive-brown upperparts replacing the male's iridescent green, the same red belly, a buff face with a thin white teardrop eye-patch, and a duller bill. The iridescent green of the male is structural, produced by feather microstructure scattering light.
- Song
- A series of low, hollow, croaking 'co-ah, co-ah' notes delivered from a high perch — quite different from songbird song. The call carries a kilometre or more through pine-oak canyon air.
- Migration
- Largely sedentary across the range. The Arizona population is migratory — birds arrive in southeastern Arizona in late April-May and depart by October. Mexican and Central American populations are resident year-round.
- Conservation
- Least Concern (LC)
Overview
Trogon elegans is one of about twenty-four Trogon trogon species, mostly Neotropical. The species is the only Trogon to reach the United States — the Arizona population occupies a small breeding range in the pine-oak canyons of the Huachuca, Chiricahua, and Santa Rita 'sky islands'. The species is one of the most-sought-after birds for North American birders making pilgrimages to southeastern Arizona to add it to their life lists.
Distribution
The breeding range covers southeastern Arizona, most of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. The Arizona population is small (estimated at fifty to one hundred breeding pairs) and is migratory — birds arrive in late April-May and depart by October. Mexican and Central American populations are larger and resident year-round. The species is one of the most northerly distributed Trogon.
Behaviour
Elegant trogons are sit-and-wait foragers. The species perches motionless for long periods on a horizontal branch in pine-oak woodland, then sallies out to seize fruits, large insects, or small lizards in flight or by snatching from foliage. The flight is direct but the perched posture is so still that birds are routinely overlooked even by experienced observers. Pairs nest in old woodpecker cavities in pine or oak; the same cavity may be used for multiple seasons.
Sources & further reading (2)
- iucn-red-list — accessed 2026-04-30
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-04-30
Frequently asked questions
Are elegant trogons related to resplendent quetzals?
Yes — both are members of the family Trogonidae. The resplendent quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) is the spectacular long-tailed Mesoamerican cloud-forest species; the elegant trogon (Trogon elegans) is a smaller cousin of pine-oak woodland. The two genera diverged within Trogonidae and occupy different elevation belts in Mexico and Central America. Both share the typical trogon family features of brilliant iridescent plumage and sit-and-wait foraging.
Why is the species famous in Arizona?
The elegant trogon is the only Trogon species that reaches the United States — the Arizona population occupies a small breeding range in the pine-oak canyons of the Huachuca, Chiricahua, and Santa Rita 'sky islands'. For North American birders, the species is one of the most-sought-after life-list additions, and southeastern Arizona's birding economy is built partly around the species' summer presence. The brilliant male plumage is unmistakable in the field.
How does an elegant trogon catch large insects?
Elegant trogons are sit-and-wait foragers. The species perches motionless on a horizontal branch in pine-oak woodland, sometimes for many minutes, scanning the air and surrounding foliage. When a large flying insect (cicada, beetle, mantis) is detected, the bird sallies out and seizes it in mid-air or from foliage with a quick aerial strike. The technique is shared with most other Trogonidae and is similar to the foraging style of unrelated tyrant flycatchers.
