TROGON

About the Trogon

Did you know? Some guests at our Rainforest Expeditions lodges even spot the Pavonine Quetzal, the rarest Trogon in the region!

A hike in the Peruvian rainforest, home to our Rainforest Expeditions lodges, is like walking through a natural cathedral of biodiversity! Immense, centuries-old trees tower overhead. The understory is shaded by a canopy of green swaying high above. This dense vegetation hides dozens of small creatures with incredible camouflage. Due to the many predators that share their leafy home, most jungle animals have evolved amazing means of staying concealed. But high above in the canopy, the beautiful Trogon takes the opposite approach, dazzling with intense color!

Trogons are medium-sized birds that live in tropical forests around the world. Most species sport iridescent feathers, combining hues like jade-green, purplish-blue, bright yellow, and crimson red. In our lodges’ Tambopata home, six different species live in the treetop canopy. It’s common to spot the stately Black-tailed Trogon, White-tailed Trogon, Collared Trogon, and the small Blue-crowned Trogon on jungle hikes or canopy tower visits. But best of all, some lodge visitors even spot the Pavonine Quetzal — the largest and rarest of Trogons in the region!

Trogon Fun Facts

• A name to chew on: Oddly enough, the word “Trogon” comes from the Greek term for “gnawing” or “nibbling.” This might have been inspired by the gnawing technique the birds use to excavate their nest cavities.


• Pluck fruits with wings: Trogons are mostly frugivorous, which means they eat fruits. But they can’t pluck fruits while perched, so instead, they hover in front of the fruit and pluck it in flight!


• Unique toes: Trogons are the only type of animal that has heterodactyl toes. This means that their first and second toes point backward, while their other toes point forward!

How to plan your Amazon jungle travel to see the Trogon and other jungle wildlife

• Locate a fruiting tree: Trogons tend to perch near their food source. If you can find a fig tree, for example, there’s a good chance that you’ll spot a few Trogons.


• Listen for their calls: Trogons love to sing for long periods of time, so learning their calls is a great way to find them. They make a variety of barking and whistling sounds.


• Watch from a canopy tower: Visitors often spy Trogons from the canopy towers at our Rainforest Expedition lodges. Your experienced guide will be looking for them and happy to show them to you.

How does it feel to see a Trogon in nature?

A walk in the Peruvian jungle is like a walk through a natural cathedral of biodiversity. Huge trees have been extending into the sky for hundreds of years. Palms with thorny roots that march through the forest floor. The understory appears to be permanently shaded by a green canopy 120 feet above the forest floor. Grapevine entanglements hide myriads of small creatures with mysterious camouflage resembling dead leaves, branches, and chewed insect vegetation. Most animals in the jungle have developed such incredible means of keeping themselves hidden due to a large number of predators that share their leafy homes.

Hundreds of birds take advantage of insects, lizards, and other small creatures and, in turn, are chased by several hawks, snakes, cats, and even a predatory bat. However, not all Amazonian creatures are naturally painted with opaque nuances that allow them to blend in with their surroundings. Many butterflies look like fluttering jewels, tree frogs show patches of bright orange and blue, and some bird species have plumage that rivals gothic stained glass windows. Most of the colored birds inhabit the canopy and it is in that upper realm of the forest where the trogons are usually found.

Experience the beauty of trogons and other colorful birds during an adventure in the Peruvian jungle with Rainforest Expeditions.