Surucua Trogon

Other Common Names: Surucuá de peito azul (Brazil)

Subspecies:

Trogon Surrucua surrucura (Vieillot, 1817), Found in the Northwest of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay (has a red belly and an orange ocular ring).

Trogon Surrucua aurantius, Found only in Brazil, has a yellow to orange belly and ocular ring (also called Surucua Variado due to its plumage differences from the nominal species).

Description: Medium-sized bird (24 cm). Bright blue cap and chest, cheeks and throat slightly darker, ivory-white beak, and a notable yellow/orange periocular area. The back has various shades of green, ranging from dark green to bright green, the tail feathers are blue-green and ventrally white (without barring).

Sexual Dimorphism: Pronounced, the female differs from the male by having darker tail feathers (very noticeable when seen head-on) and by having more subdued and less defined colors, as well as a more whitish periocular area.

Habitat: Humid forests, jungles, capueras.

Behavior: Passive, calm, perches on exposed branches where the legs are barely visible due to its posture.

Nesting: Nests in abandoned tree cavities (takes advantage of woodpecker nests), sometimes digs into termite mounds. In these cavities, the female generally lays two eggs. A curious fact about the species is that the chicks are constantly vocalizing.

Feeding: Insectivorous, catches prey in flight by taking off and returning to the same perch (Flycatch).

Author of this description: Diego Oscar