Green-backed Trogon
Trogon viridis
The Green-backed Trogon (Trogon viridis) is a uncommon trogon found in 10 countries, weighing about 90 g. The green-backed trogon, also known as the Amazonian white-tailed trogon, is a bird in the trogon family Trogonidae.
About the Green-backed Trogon
The green-backed trogon, also known as the Amazonian white-tailed trogon, is a bird in the trogon family Trogonidae. It is widely distributed across the Amazon rainforest with a disjunct population on the southeast coast of Brazil. As with all trogons, this species is sexually dimorphic. The male has a yellow belly without a white breastband, a blue head with a pale-blue orbital eye-ring, a blue bill, a green back and a green tail that is mostly white below. The female is duller with a dark grey head, a dark grey back and some black barring beneath the tail.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
This relatively large trogon is 28 to 30 centimetres (11 to 12 in) long. As most trogons, it is strongly sexually dimorphic. In the male the head and upper breast are dark blue (appears blackish in poor light), and the back is green. The lower underparts are orange yellow. The wings are black, vermiculated with white. The undertail is black and white: Each feather has a broad black base and a broad white tip and outer edge. The complete eye-ring is pale bluish.
What the Green-backed Trogon sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
The Green-backed Trogon can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Green-backed Trogon?
- This relatively large trogon is 28 to 30 centimetres (11 to 12 in) long. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Green-backed Trogon?
- The Green-backed Trogon is a medium sized bird weighing about 90 g.
- Where can you see a Green-backed Trogon?
- The Green-backed Trogon occurs in 10 countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Trinidad & Tobago.
- What does a Green-backed Trogon sound like?
- You can listen to 2 field recordings of the Green-backed Trogon on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Green-backed Trogon?
- The Green-backed Trogon is most easily confused with the Amazonian Black-throated Trogon, the Elegant Trogon and the Surucua Trogon.
- Is the Green-backed Trogon endangered?
- The Green-backed Trogon is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Green-backed Trogon for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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