The quetzal is a beautifully colored bird found in forests and woodlands of Central America. Known for its long, emerald green tail feathers, the quetzal has cultural significance for ancient Mesoamerican civilizations such as the Aztecs and Mayans, who considered it sacred. Today, the quetzal remains the national bird of Guatemala and gives its name to Guatemala’s currency, the quetzal. Despite its beauty and cultural importance, the quetzal is unfortunately endangered today due to habitat loss. However, there are many interesting facts about this majestic bird that showcase its uniqueness in the avian world.
The Resplendent Quetzal Has Extraordinary Tail Feathers
The most striking feature of the resplendent quetzal, the best known subspecies of quetzal, is its long tail coverts that can grow up to 3 feet long. These specialized feathers are emerald green and shimmer with an iridescent quality. The tail coverts start growing when the male quetzal reaches 3 years old and moult and regrow annually after that. During mating rituals, the male quetzal will fan out these elongated feathers to show off to potential mates. The tail coverts do not aid in flight, and quetzals must adapt their flying style to accommodate such long feathers. When not fanned out, the feathers coil up, allowing the quetzal to still fly adeptly between trees. The tail coverts only grow on the male quetzal, while females have a shorter green tail.
The Quetzal Played an Important Role in Mesoamerican Cultures
For the ancient Aztecs and Mayans, the resplendent quetzal was a sacred bird symbolizing goodness, light, and the divinity of the air. It was considered one of the most beautiful creatures on earth. The quetzal’s green tail feathers were treasured and reserved for royalty, while quetzal images frequently appeared in Mesoamerican art and architecture. Killing a quetzal was forbidden and punishable by death. The quetzal’s association with goodness and light stemmed from the belief that it was the god Quetzalcoatl transformed into bird form. Quetzalcoatl was a mythical god of the air and creativity who brought knowledge to humankind. The quetzal’s green tail feathers were thought to represent Quetzalcoatl’s bounty.
The Quetzal Makes Unique Noises
The calls of the quetzal are high-pitched and distinctive sounding. Their most well known sound is a loud, resonant call consisting of a series of 8-10 notes increasing in pitch that ends with sharp whistles. This call serves to mark territory and attract mates. Quetzals can also make clicking and clicking-buzzing noises with their beaks to signal aggression or alarm. Part of what enables the quetzal to generate such unusual sounds is the anatomy of its trachea. Unlike other birds, the trachea of the quetzal makes four twists as it connects the lungs to the vocal organ, which likely contributes to its distinctive vocalizations. The Aztecs described the quetzal’s voice as the most beautiful of all birds.
They Have a Unique Nesting Strategy
Quetzals display an unusual nesting behavior. Rather than building their own nests, they nest in already existing holes in trees that are formed by woodpeckers or decay. The quetzals may enlarge the hole but do not construct a nest themselves. Inside the hole, the female quetzal lays two light blue eggs and incubates them herself while the male brings her food. Quetzal chicks are altricial, meaning they are born immobile and lacking feathers. Both parents take turns feeding the chicks regurgitated food until they learn to fly at about three weeks old. Interestingly, quetzals are also known to use the old nests of other species after doing some repair work.
The Quetzal Has an Unusual Diet
Unlike many bright tropical birds that seek out fruit and nectar, the quetzal has a specialized diet consisting of mainly small fruits and animals. Their favorite fruits are avocados, which likely influenced the quetzal’s green coloration. Quetzals use their sharply pointed beak to grab frogs, lizards, insects, larvae, and small birds from trees. Up to 50% of a quetzal’s diet can consist of small vertebrates like frogs. The protein gained from eating small animals is believed to help quetzals develop the colorful plumage they use to attract mates.
They Have interesting Courtship Displays
In order to attract a mate, the male quetzal performs an elaborate aerial dance that shows off its long tail feathers. It can spend hours performing this courtship flight. The dance involves flying back and forth between perches while orienting its fanned-out tail feathers toward the female. Interestingly, the male’s green chest puffs out to appear larger during the dance. At the same time, the male makes loud calls to get the female’s attention. If interested, the female quetzal may reciprocate by also fanning her tail and displaying an arching flight pattern. Pairs remain monogamous for the breeding season and may reunite in future years.
The Quetzal is a Symbol of Guatemala
Guatemala chose the quetzal as its national bird in 1871, and it remains a national symbol representing liberty. The quetzal appears on the Guatemalan coat of arms and flag. It also lends its name to Guatemala’s currency, the Guatemalan quetzal. As Guatemala’s nickname is “The Land of the Quetzal,” the bird maintains great cultural significance. Cities across Guatemala have quetzal-related names such as Quetzaltenango, Quetzaltepeque, and Quetzalná. Unfortunately despite its status, habitat loss threatens the national bird’s survival today. Conservation efforts strive to protect the quetzal’s cloud forest home.
The Quetzal is Threatened in the Wild
Sadly, the resplendent quetzal’s population has declined by over 50% in the past decades. As lowland forest habitat is cleared for agriculture and development, the quetzal struggles to survive. The quetzal relies on tropical cloud forests between 5,000-10,000 ft in elevation that retain moisture and cool temperatures. Preserving these specialized habitats will be key to saving wild quetzal populations. Quetzals are also very sensitive to human disturbance and cannot survive in secondary forests grown after land clearance. Captive breeding programs do exist, but have not proven successful at reintroducing quetzals into the wild. Guatemala’s national bird remains endangered, underscoring the need for improved habitat protections.
They Play an Important Role in Cloud Forests
As fruit-eating birds, quetzals act as seed dispersers for forest trees. By consuming fruits and passing the seeds, they help regenerate plant life in their cloud forest ecosystem. The quetzal’s diet also consists of animals like frogs and insects that could overpopulate without a predator like the quetzal. Their digging in decaying trees aids forest decomposition. Therefore, the quetzal fills an important niche in its cloud forest habitat. Its decline negatively impacts the plants and animals that depend on the quetzal’s ecological role. Protecting the quetzal ultimately protects many other cloud forest species.
Conclusion
The quetzal stands out for its mythical significance, its spectacular plumage, and its distinctive behavior. While best known for its elongated green tail feathers, the quetzal has much greater depth as a species. Its elaborate courtship displays, unusual calls, specialized diet and habitat needs, and role in Mesoamerican cultures demonstrate the quetzal’s uniqueness. Sadly, human activity now threatens the quetzal’s existence, even though it remains a cherished symbol of liberty and goodness. Preserving the quetzal is key to conserving its sensitive cloud forest ecosystem that nurtures so much biodiversity. The quetzal has long captured human imagination, but now requires human understanding and care. With greater habitat protections and ecological awareness, this avian jewel of Central America can persist far into the future.