What a start to December. I have been craving to get a decent
picture of this bird! Walla!!!!. Finally i have the pleasure of sharing. Enjoy
it. I thoroughly did after staking it for about an hour, deep in the forest
with lots of rain.
The Narina Trogon (Apaloderma narina) is a medium-sized (up
to 34 cm long), largely green forest bird in the Trogonidae family. It is 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.
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.
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 brown face and chest plumage, blue skin
orbiting the eyes and duller red plumage below. Immature birds resemble
females, but have distinct white tips to the tertials (inner wing), and less
distinct gape and eye flanges.
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 hollow
in which both sexes incubate or brood.
PS: I have also shared photos of other friendly aviaries that
posed for the camera and and joined the party.
All photographs copyright - Akil Halai. All rights reserved.
