Trogon à gorge noire

En bref

  • Scientific Name: Trogon rufus
  • Spanish Name: Trogón amarillo
  • Family: Trogonidae
  • Known Nicknames: Rufous Trogon, Yellow-bellied Trogon
  • Average Length: 23–26 cm / 9–10 in
  • Average Weight: 54–57 g / 1.9–2.0 oz
  • Wingspan: 32–36 cm / 12.5–14 in
  • Key Feature: Male features a bright yellow belly, a contrasting black throat, a green head, and a finely barred black-and-white undertail
  • Primary Diet: Omnivorous (primarily insects and small fruits)
  • Range: Central and South America, from Honduras south to northern Argentina and southern Brazil
  • Habitat: Understory and mid-story of humid lowland tropical forests and mature secondary forests
  • Structure sociale : Solitaires ou en couples
  • Nesting/Breeding: Cavities in decaying tree trunks or active termite mounds
  • Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
  • Évolution démographique : En baisse

The Black-throated Trogon (*Trogon rufus*) is a captivating, medium-sized neotropical bird renowned for its striking sexual dimorphism and upright, motionless perching posture. Males are a vision of vibrant contrast, boasting a shimmering metallic-green head and back, a brilliant yellow belly, a jet-black throat, and a beautifully barred black-and-white undertail, while females display an elegant, warm brown plumage. A defining feature of both sexes is the conspicuous yellow eye-ring and matching bill, which stand out vividly against the shaded forest understory. As highly patient "sit-and-wait" predators, these birds will sit quietly for long stretches before suddenly darting to snatch insects or pluck small fruits. Adding to their intrigue, they often excavate nesting cavities in decaying wood—or even active wasp nests for protection—and make their presence known through a soft, melancholic series of rhythmic hoots that define the soundscape of their Central and South American rainforest homes.

Faits amusants

These birds have a bizarre real estate preference, often excavating their nests inside active termite mounds or wasp nests to use the stinging residents as a built-in security system against predators. Despite their vibrant yellow and green plumage, they are masters of stealth, capable of sitting completely motionless for hours while rotating their heads nearly 180 degrees—like an owl—to scan for prey. When they do spot a meal, they utilize their unique "heterodactyl" feet—a toe arrangement found only in trogons where the first two toes face backward and the other two face forward—to launch themselves into acrobatic, hovering mid-air grabs.

Habitats et répartition

This species is widely distributed across the Neotropics, with a geographical range extending from southern Honduras in Central America southward through parts of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina, as well as throughout much of Brazil and the Guianas. Within this range, it primarily inhabits the understory and mid-story of humid lowland evergreen forests and mature tropical rainforests. It is also found in well-developed secondary forests, semi-deciduous woodlands, and shaded agricultural areas like cacao plantations, generally avoiding open landscapes and highly fragmented habitats.

Comportements & Reproduction

Typically solitary or found in monogamous pairs, these quiet canopy-dwellers exhibit a sedentary lifestyle, often remaining motionless for extended periods while scanning for insects and fruit. They maintain territories through soft, repetitive vocalizations rather than aggressive physical displays. During the breeding season, pairs cooperate closely, communicating with distinct, low-pitched calls to coordinate nesting activities and defend their immediate territory. Their reproductive strategy is highly specialized, relying on a unique nesting habit where pairs excavate a cavity inside active arboreal termite nests (termitaria) or occasionally decaying wood. This choice of nesting site provides a stable microclimate and natural defense against predators. Both the male and female share the duties of excavating the nest chamber, incubating the typical clutch of two white eggs, and rearing the chicks until they fledge.

Alimentation

The Black-throated Trogon (*Trogon rufus*) maintains an omnivorous diet consisting primarily of insects and small fruits. It feeds on a variety of invertebrates, including caterpillars, grasshoppers, mantises, cicadas, and beetles, which it supplements with lipid-rich berries from plant families such as Lauraceae and Araceae. An interesting aspect of its foraging behavior is its "sit-and-wait" hunting strategy, where the bird perches motionlessly in the mid-canopy before suddenly sallying out to pluck prey or fruit directly from foliage in mid-air, a technique known as hover-gleaning. Furthermore, these trogons are known to follow army ant swarms to opportunistically snatch fleeing insects, and they occasionally join mixed-species foraging flocks. After consuming fruits, they swallow them whole and later regurgitate the large, undamaged seeds, making them highly effective seed dispersers within their tropical forest ecosystems.

Couleurs

The male Black-throated Trogon features a vibrant yellow belly, an olive-green head and back, a black throat, and a distinctive black-and-white finely barred undertail, accented by a yellow eye-ring. Females swap the green and black for a camouflaging brown on the head and chest while retaining the yellow belly. This dual coloration allows both sexes to blend seamlessly into the forest foliage when facing away, effectively concealing their bright underparts from predators.