Gartered Trogon

Copyright: monacoeye • Central Panama, May 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Gartered Trogon
Latin: Trogon caligatus
Other: T. violaceus, Northern Violaceous Trogon
Family: Trogonidae • Trogons
Range: E Mexico to NW South America

When I saw this bird earlier this year it was identified as a Violaceous Trogon, but since then this northern type has been split from Violaceous Trogon into a new species called Gartered Trogon. I.e. Trogon caligatus is split from Trogon violaceus, the latter is only found in Amazonia.

Gartered Trogon males have a yellow eye-ring, orange yellow belly, deep bluish head, barred tail with two or three large white bands. Females (above) have a slate grey head and chest and black central tail feathers on an otherwise barred tail. Bill not yellow.