Narina Trogon
Encyclopedia
The Narina Trogon, Apaloderma narina, is a medium-sized (up to 34 cm long), largely green forest bird in the Trogonidae family, the most widespread and catholic in habitat choice of three Apaloderma
trogons
. The species name is Khoikhoi
in origin, believed to be named after Narina, the mistress of the French ornithologist François Le Vaillant
.
). The wing coverts are a grizzled grey, and remiges mostly colourless grey.
The male especially, has bright amaranth
red underside plumage and bare, green gape
and eye flanges. The female has a brown face and chest, blue skin orbiting eyes and duller red plumage below. Immature birds resemble females, but have distinct white tips to the tertials, and less distinct gape and eye flanges.
to Ethiopia
, and east Africa
to eastern and southern South Africa
. Widespread throughout its large range, the Narina Trogon is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List
of Threatened Species.
in which both sexes incubate or brood.
Apaloderma
Apaloderma is a genus of African birds in the Trogonidae family.It contains the following species:* Narina Trogon * Bare-cheeked Trogon * Bar-tailed Trogon...
trogons
Trogon
The trogons and quetzals are birds in the order Trogoniformes which contains only one family, the Trogonidae. The family contains 39 species in eight genera. The fossil record of the trogons dates back 49 million years to the mid-Eocene. They might constitute a member of the basal radiation of...
. The species name is Khoikhoi
Khoikhoi
The Khoikhoi or Khoi, in standardised Khoekhoe/Nama orthography spelled Khoekhoe, are a historical division of the Khoisan ethnic group, the native people of southwestern Africa, closely related to the Bushmen . They had lived in southern Africa since the 5th century AD...
in origin, believed to be named after Narina, the mistress of the French ornithologist François Le Vaillant
François Le Vaillant
François Levaillant or Le Vaillant was a French author, explorer, naturalist, zoological collector, and noted ornithologist.-Biography:...
.
Appearance
Both sexes have vivid, gingery green upperpart plumage. The tail feathers have a metallic blue-green gloss. The outer three rectices on each side are tipped and fringed white, giving the undertail of perched birds a characteristic white appearance (compare Bar-tailed TrogonBar-tailed Trogon
The Bar-tailed Trogon is a species of bird in the Trogonidae family.-Distribution and habitat:It is found in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia...
). The wing coverts are a grizzled grey, and remiges mostly colourless grey.
The male especially, has bright amaranth
Amaranth (color)
Amaranth is a reddish-rose color that is a representation of the color of the flower of the amaranth plant. The color shown is the color of the red amaranth flower , but there are other varieties of amaranth that have other colors of amaranth flowers; these colors are also shown below.The color...
red underside plumage and bare, green gape
Gape
In bird anatomy, the gape is the interior of the open mouth of a bird and the gape flange is the region where the two mandibles join together, at the base of the beak...
and eye flanges. The female has a brown face and chest, blue skin orbiting eyes and duller red plumage below. Immature birds resemble females, but have distinct white tips to the tertials, and less distinct gape and eye flanges.
Range and habitat
The species has a large range in Africa, inhabiting lowland to highland, valley and riverine forests, from tropical to temperate regions, those occurring in highlands dispersing seasonally to lower levels. It is found from Sierra LeoneSierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
to Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, and east Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
to eastern and southern South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Widespread throughout its large range, the Narina Trogon is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
of Threatened Species.
Habits
The diet consists mainly of insects and small invertebrates as well as rodents and small reptiles. The call is a grating, low repeated hoot, given by males only, in defending territory or attracting mates. The male's bare, blue-green throat patch is expanded when calling and both sexes may fluff out the breast feathers in display. They nest in a tree hollowTree hollow
A tree hollow or tree hole is a semi-enclosed cavity which has naturally formed in the trunk or branch of a tree. These are predominantly found in old trees, whether living or not...
in which both sexes incubate or brood.