Mountain Trogon

The Mountain Trogon (Trogon mexicanus) measures 29 to 31 cm and can, of course, compete for the title of the most beautiful trogon! The dimorphism is pronounced, Mr. has a strong yellow beak surrounded by beautiful black vibrissae, the parotica are black and surround a dark brown iris surrounded by a red orbital circle, the crown, nape, mantle and back are green with bronze reflections. The green chest is separated from the bright red belly by a sharp white line, the scapulars are green while the covers have fine horizontal black and white vermiculations in the shape of waves. The black remiges are marked with white at the emarginations. The lower rectrices are black and have three large horizontal white bands that are the distinctive mark of the mountain trogon, the upper rectrices are green marked with a black line at its end. Mrs. is very different, yellow beak with black culmen, the parotica are gray as well as the throat, two white marks in front and behind the eye underscore this latter surrounded by a fine red orbital circle. The crown, nape and top of the chest are brown-fawn; two very clear white marks cross the thorax: below the first mark, the brown coloration changes to light brown, then a second white-gray design of elliptical shape separates the chest from the red belly to the pink nuances. The back, mantle and scapulars retain the fawn coloration, the covers have very fine brown vermiculations, the remiges are dark brown almost black with clear white emarginations. The lower rectrices are white divided into three parts and marked with black designs in the shape of lance points directed downwards, the outer edges being finely painted with short horizontal black lines; the upper rectrices resume the fawn hue of the back and end with a horizontal black line.Young Mountain Trogons look similar to their mothers, with a pale tawny color, and the scapulars and coverts have creamy-white scale-like markings. The beak is grey, and the eye-ring in young males is pale yellow. Identification can sometimes be difficult with Trogon elegans, which shares the same range; the lower rectrices will be the distinguishing element (wide black and white markings in Mountain Trogon mexicanus, fine black and white stripes with three white marks in Trogon elegans). Two subspecies are recognized, mexicanus as described previously to the south and east of Mexico, south of Guatemala and Honduras and north of El Salvador; subspecies clarus to the northwest of Mexico whose difference is visible (difficultly!) only in the female with patchy brown and a grayish-white throat, the tawny brown being lighter on the chest. The male is similar to mexicanus.