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Elegant Trogon
Birds diurnal

Elegant Trogon

Trogon elegans

A rare jewel of the Southwest canyons, the Elegant Trogon captivates birders with its metallic green plumage and bold red belly. Known for its distinctive 'barking' call and secret nesting habits, this tropical visitor brings a touch of exotic wonder to mountain forests.

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Quick Identification

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Size

11–12 inches (28–30 cm) in length; wingspan of approx. 14 inches (35 cm); weighs 2.1–2.8 oz (60–80 g)

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Colors

Males feature a metallic green head and back, a bright red belly, and a white chest band. Females are brownish-gray with a smaller red patch and a white 'tear' mark behind the eye.

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Key Features

  • Brilliant red belly with a crisp white horizontal breast band
  • Metallic coppery-green head and back (males) or brownish-gray (females)
  • Long, squared-off tail with fine black and white barring on the underside
  • Large dark eye with a bright orange or yellow orbital ring
  • Short, stout, hooked bill used for plucking fruit and excavating nests

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern diurnal
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Peak hours 6:00 AM – 10:00 AM
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Season April–September (in the US); Year-round in Mexico and Central America
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Diet A versatile omnivore that specializes in 'hover-gleaning.' They primarily feed on large insects such as cicadas, katydids, and caterpillars, but they also consume a significant amount of small fruits and berries from native trees.
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Habitat Mountainous riparian canyons, particularly those dominated by Arizona sycamore, oak, and pine-oak woodlands.

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Behavior

The Elegant Trogon is a bird of patience and precision. Unlike more frantic songbirds, these trogons spend long periods sitting perfectly still on mid-story branches, scouting for their next meal. They possess an upright, almost regal posture, and their movements are often limited to quick, fluttering bursts to snatch an insect or a berry before returning to a nearby perch.

During the breeding season, they are famous for their 'barking' vocalizations, which echo through canyon walls. While they are generally shy and wary of human presence, they are remarkably site-faithful, often returning to the same sycamore or oak groves year after year to nest in abandoned woodpecker holes or natural cavities.

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Camera Tips

To capture an Elegant Trogon on your trail camera, placement is everything. These birds are most frequently found in riparian canyons at elevations between 4,000 and 6,000 feet, particularly near large Arizona Sycamores or oaks. Focus your camera on mid-story branches—about 10 to 15 feet off the ground—that have a clear view of open space. Since they are 'sit-and-wait' predators, they prefer perches that allow them to scan for insects or fruit. Angle your camera slightly upward if placing it on a trunk, or use a mounting arm to position it on a parallel branch for a profile view.

Timing is critical for successful Trogon photography. In the United States, they are primarily summer residents arriving in late April and staying through September. Their most active foraging periods are during the cooler hours of the early morning, roughly between 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM. Setting your camera to 'Burst Mode' or high-definition video is highly recommended; trogon movements are sudden and fast, so catching the moment they hover to pluck a berry or snag a cicada requires a high frame rate and a fast trigger speed.

While baiting is generally discouraged for wild birds, you can increase your chances by placing cameras near natural food sources. Look for madrone, manzanita, or wild grapevines when fruit is ripening. Additionally, because they are cavity nesters, a camera positioned at a respectful distance from a known nest hole in a dead sycamore can provide incredible footage of adults bringing food to their young. Ensure your camera is well-camouflaged, as their keen eyesight can make them wary of new, shiny objects in their territory.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Elegant Trogon.

Mountain Trogon

Features a greener tail and lacks the coppery sheen of the Elegant Trogon; much rarer in the United States.

Resplendent Quetzal

While in the same family, the Quetzal has much longer tail streamers and a vibrant green crest, and is found only in cloud forests further south.

Frequently Asked Questions

Elegant Trogons are most active during the early morning hours, typically from shortly after sunrise until about 10:00 AM. This is when they do the bulk of their foraging for insects and fruit before the heat of the day sets in.
Attracting an Elegant Trogon is difficult unless your backyard is located directly within a high-elevation wooded canyon. However, planting native fruiting trees like Manzanita or Netleaf Hackberry can encourage them to visit if you live in their specific range in Arizona or New Mexico.
Their diet consists of a mix of large insects (like grasshoppers and caterpillars) and small fruits. They are famous for their 'hover-glean' technique, where they fly out to snatch food off a leaf or branch while momentarily hovering in mid-air.
No, they are quite rare in suburban settings. They are highly specialized birds that require specific riparian canyon habitats with mature sycamore and oak trees, mostly found in the 'Sky Islands' of the American Southwest and southward into Mexico.
The male Elegant Trogon has a coppery-bronze tint to its upper tail, whereas the Mountain Trogon has a greener tail. Additionally, the Elegant Trogon is the only species regularly found in the United States, as the Mountain Trogon is an extremely rare accidental visitor.

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