Bird Guide

Malabar Trogon vs Scarlet-rumped Trogon

Malabar Trogon (Harpactes fasciatus)

Malabar Trogon

Harpactes fasciatus

Medium62 gForest

Like most other trogons, these birds are brightly coloured and sexually dimorphic. The male has a slaty-black head and breast, with a white border on the black bib separating it from the crimson on the underside. The back is olive-brown to chestnut. The wing coverts are black with fine white vermiculations. They have 12 tail feathers that are graduated. The central tail-feathers are chestnut with a black tip, with the second and third pairs from the middle having more black than chestnut. The outer three pairs have long white tips.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Ravi_naidu_wildlife · CC0
Scarlet-rumped Trogon (Harpactes duvaucelii)

Scarlet-rumped Trogon

Harpactes duvaucelii

Small39 gForest

The scarlet-rumped trogon is the world's smallest trogon, with adults measuring around 23–24 cm (9.1–9.4 in) with wings of 10 to 11 cm (3.9 to 4.3 in) in length, tails of about 11 to 13.5 cm (4.3 to 5.3 in), and weighing between 34 and 43 g (1.2 and 1.5 oz). Its eggs are estimated to measure 23.7 mm × 19.9 mm (0.93 in × 0.78 in) and weigh 5.2 g (0.18 oz). Males have a black head, neck and throat, but females and juveniles are a duller brown. Males have red underparts, rump and uppertail coverts along with rich buff or yellowish-brown upperparts and uppertail. Voice: Males have been recorded to emit a call of 12 short and rapid "yau" notes that accelerate in a diminuendo, sometimes to the point that they seem to merge, a much quicker call than other trogons. Females produce quiet rattles. When in alarm, the scarlet-rumped trogon utters quiet "kir-r-r-r" whirrings. This species also has a call that is similar to a scolding squirrel.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Lip Kee Yap from Singapore, Republic of Singapore · CC BY 2.0

Learn this pair in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Play today's Daily Bird

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Malabar Trogon and Scarlet-rumped Trogon.