Nov 2022
Resplendent Quetzals are considered one of the most beautiful birds in the world.
The male quetzal sports a metre long streamer feather in its tail; two feathers during mating season. Females do not have these tail feathers but sport the same iridescent green/gold and blue/violet plumage and crimson breast as the males do.
The Resplendent Quetzal is an endangered species; there are about 50,000 left in the world. Coming across one is quite rare.
We came across a few at Parque Nacional Los Quetzales in Costa Rica.
Getting to see them was not easy.
We had to climb up to an elevated mound in front of an Avocado tree; and wait for over 2 hours. The birds were hiding behind the leaves in their hollow nests; and when they came out, were hyperactive, not staying in one place. At last we got lucky when two males and one female came out to perch on a branch; fought each other for territorial rights and posed for some nice pictures.
The ten minutes of viewing the bird was worth the investment of a day long trip and hours of wait.
We had to climb up to an elevated mound in front of an Avocado tree; and wait for over 2 hours. The birds were hiding behind the leaves in their hollow nests; and when they came out, were hyperactive, not staying in one place. At last we got lucky when two males and one female came out to perch on a branch; fought each other for territorial rights and posed for some nice pictures.
The ten minutes of viewing the bird was worth the investment of a day long trip and hours of wait.
Spectacular birds.
