Red-headed Trogon
Harpactes erythrocephalus
The Red-headed Trogon (Harpactes erythrocephalus) is a rare trogon found in 12 countries, weighing about 80 g. The red-headed trogon is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae.
About the Red-headed Trogon
The red-headed trogon is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The red-headed trogon is on average 34 cm (13 in) in length. The male has a red head and breast, a unique feature in the Trogon group. The female resembles the Diard's trogon without a speckled undertail. The head, neck and upper breast of an adult male is dull crimson. A narrow white band crosses the mid breast, underneath which the lower breast to abdomen is light red to pink. Pale red can be observed on the flanks whereas the mantle and back of the bird are rusty brown. The male perches on branches with the support of mauve-blue legs. Voice: The male's call resembles that of the Eurasian golden oriole (Oriolus oriolus): a sequence of usually five to six, well-spaced mellow "tyaup" notes, repeated every minute. Occasionally the male calls an extended "pluu-du" note marked by a significant terminal drop in pitch. The call is repeated every 3–6 seconds.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November, December, with peak activity in March. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Red-headed Trogon?
- The red-headed trogon is on average 34 cm (13 in) in length. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Red-headed Trogon?
- The Red-headed Trogon is a medium sized bird weighing about 80 g.
- Where can you see a Red-headed Trogon?
- The Red-headed Trogon occurs in 12 countries, including India, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and China.
- What birds look similar to a Red-headed Trogon?
- The Red-headed Trogon is most easily confused with the Malabar Trogon, the Orange-breasted Trogon and the Scarlet-rumped Trogon.
- Is the Red-headed Trogon endangered?
- The Red-headed Trogon is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Red-headed 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.
Play BeakBrainEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.