Bird Guide

Black-headed Trogon vs Slaty-tailed Trogon

Black-headed Trogon (Trogon melanocephalus)

Black-headed Trogon

Trogon melanocephalus

Medium85 gForest

The black-headed trogon is 27 to 28 cm (11 to 11 in) long and weighs about 74 to 95 g (2.6 to 3.4 oz). Adults of both sexes have slate-black to black head, neck, and chest. A sky-blue ring of bare skin surrounds the dark eye. A thin white line separates the chest from the rest of their underparts, which are cadmium to chrome yellow that becomes lighter at the vent area. The two inner pairs of tail feathers are metallic bronze breen to bluish green with black tips. The next pair are all black and the outermost three pairs are black with wide white tips. Voice: The black-headed trogon is vocal and often detected by its calls. The most common call is " a loud series of 15-20 accelerating clucks or 'cuck' notes". It is sometimes sung by a pair as a duet and also by small groups of individuals. The species' alarm call is "a single low 'cuck'".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Tony Hisgett · CC BY 2.0
Slaty-tailed Trogon (Trogon massena)

Slaty-tailed Trogon

Trogon massena

Medium141 gForest

Trogons have distinctive male and female plumages, with soft, often colorful, feathers. The slaty-tailed trogon is 30 to 35.5 cm (12 to 14 in) long and weighs about 140 to 155 g (4.9 to 5.5 oz). The nominate male has an orange-red bill and a dull black face, chin, and upper throat with a red to orange ring around the eye. The upperparts are metallic green that tends to golden green on the back and bluish green on the crown and rump. The breast is metallic green and the belly and vent deep red. The folded wing has fine black and white vermiculation that looks gray at a distance. Voice: The slaty-tailed trogon's song is "a steady deliberate series of cow or cue notes"; another description is "a deep full-throated wuk, wuk, wuk …." Its calls include "a quiet clucking huh-huh-huh-huh" and a "chuckling chatter".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: john norton from Salt Lake City, USA · CC BY 2.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black-headed Trogon and Slaty-tailed Trogon.