Resplendent Quetzal is considered to be one of the most magnificent birds in the western hemisphere. It is found from southern Mexico to western Panama and is abundant in the rainforests of Costa Rica.

There are 10 species in Costa Rica. The most noteworthy visuals of this bird belong to the male who is brilliantly colored in green and crimson red plumage. The rich crimson of his under parts contrasts with the iridescent, shining green of his head, chest and upper parts. The plumage is glittery. The male has a long beautiful tail which he can hide with the upper tail coverts. This tail is slender and undulates gracefully when he flies. The long primary wing coverts have a fringed appearance and extend over the red-crimson of his sides in a gorgeous contrast.

The Resplendent Quetzal is considered a specialized fruit-eater and mixes his diet with insects and frogs. He also eats avocados and other fruit. He's found in montane cloud forests and is abundant at Monteverde Cloud Forest. The Resplendent Quetzal is also found at the Los Quetzales National Park.

The song of the trogon is lovely and the Resplendent Quetzal has a fuller and deeper song than those of other trogons. His song is slurred and fused into a slow, soft and mellow sound.

Monogamous pairs of quetzals nest in the holes of trees in deep spots to conceal the the sitting birds. However, their tails can be spotted. The females lays two light blue eggs and she incubates through the night and the middle of the day.

The males sits on the eggs in the morning and afternoon and his train arches over his back and shows through the hole. The male can sometimes be spotted soaring straight up into the treetops after sitting on the eggs.

The Aztec and Maya nobility of Mesoamerican cultures valued the Resplendent Quetzal because of its beauty and for its long tail coverts. The rulers of Mesoamerica viewed the quetzal as the "god of air" and as a symbol of goodness and light. Symbolically, the quetzal became a god — Quetzalcoatl. There are numerous sculptures and paintings depicting the quetzal in Mesoamerican culture. And, the nobility wore head dress made from quetzal feathers so that they could be connected to Quetzalcoatl. In Mesoamerica, the term quetzal became associated with precious, sacred and erected.

Symbol of liberty

Until modern times, the quetzal was legendary for the fact that it could not be bread in captivity. Nor could it survive for long in a cage. This historic symbolism made the quetzal a symbol of liberty. The quetzal is Guatemala's national bird and appears on Guatemala's flag.