TROGONS Trogonidae

Species in family  39

Trogons are a small group of birds often with stunningly coloured plumage, worthy icons of the exuberance of the tropics. Well represented in the Neotropics (especially in Central America), they also occur in Africa and the Oriental region, although in reduced variety. Their appearance is distinctive, and their phylogenetic relationships are obscure. Almost half of the family is in the familiar genus Trogon. Trogons are either citrus-bellied (lemon or orange) or red-bellied. Males have much richer plumage above, with shimmering greens and blues predominating, while females tend to be attired in more sombre tones. Undertail patterns typically differ between the sexes, and males use their more distinctive patterns in courtship.

Trogons are birds of the forest, ranging from humid lowlands to mountain cloud forests. Although such magnificently coloured birds, they are more often heard than seen. Their hollow hoots have a haunting quality, and it can be very difficult to locate a perched bird until it moves. Trogons live in pairs or solitarily, scanning the foliage for caterpillars and other largish arthropods, snatching prey from leaves or limbs by hovering. At other times they fly-catch and also frequent fruiting trees. The bill is broad and surrounded by bristles, the neck is short and the eyes large, which must be helpful for finding food in the dark interiors of woodland.

Despite their long association with human culture, trogons remain poorly served by published study and very little is known about them. Much of the existing ecological information comes from studies of a few neotropical species undertaken in the 1930s and 1940s by Alexander Skutch in Costa Rica and Guatemala, and more recent field studies of the Elegant Trogon at the northern extremity of the range. Longstanding uncertainties exist about the relations and origins of trogons. Kingfishers and their allies were most often nominated as the trogons' closest allies and a New World origin was assumed because most trogon species are now found in the neotropics. However, recent studies have a leaning towards placing trogons in a separate order, Trogoniformes, with possible affinities to the African mousebirds, and there is also some reasonably strong evidence for supporting an Old World origin.

You can join us on our tour to Costa Rica in February 2010 and get to see many of these fine birds firsthand! To find out more see our tour dates and full itinerary here. Alternatively, for those wishing to travel later in the year, then our tour to Ecuador will also produce several members of the Trogon family, so see this link to read more and view the full tour details and itinerary.

As I write this piece for our latest newsletter, I am gazing from my window upon a dull grey sky and light rain. Whilst the locals are dancing a celebration, we do desperately need the rain, I cannot get excited and really do not warm to dull skies and rain! So what a great distraction to let my mind wander to the exotic and warm Sahara in Morocco, full of vibrant colours, great people and a landscape which is simply stunning. Our tours start in the cultural centre of Marrakech, a bustling hub of enterprise with rich ingredients of tradition and historical interest; warm days soon dispel any lingering thoughts of home in surroundings so pleasantly different from what you might have expected. It's a wrench to leave the old city, but the call of the Sahara and the prospect of crossing the High Atlas, make the departure one of high expectation mixed with the excitement of seeing a wilderness so full of spectacular scenery and views, you feel a strange longing to be on your way in our adventure. The contrast in scenery couldn't be more marked on our journey, green and rocky valleys, where rivers run northward from the snow melts of the high mountains to the southern slopes, where rich and fertile valleys stretch like fingers into an altogether different and more arid landscape.

The birding in the Sahara is wonderful and full of species not seen in the more fertile parts of the north. Here there is an array of Lark and Wheatear species unparalleled outside of Africa, we will also see birds such as Desert Sparrow, a highly prized species, along with a real favourite among visiting birders the Cream-coloured Courser. Following the Draa Valley with its famous palmeries, whose green hues glow in stark contrast to the surrounding deserts and mountains, we will arrive at the end of the road in the small desert village of M'hamid. We spend a night here in a Bedouin Camp and can see stars at night, so close you really do feel you can reach out and touch them! The tour winds its way onward and eastwards to the famous Erg Chebbi dunes, perhaps the finest dune complex in the Sahara. We stay for 3 nights in one of our favourite Kasbahs the Auberge Derkaoua, it is a wonderful and isolated oasis, a perfect retreat to explore for birds or just simply relax. Sandgrouse species, Desert Warbler and a host of real quality birds can be seen here and with the prospect of water filling a nearby lagoon, birds such as Greater Flamingo can provide a bizarre experience in the middle of the desert! There is so much more to this tour, that I recommend reading our full tour listing on our website.

So, if you feel like escaping the winter and prepare for spring, why not join our March safari tour and give yourself a taste of summer and the exotic? For further information and our full itinerary click here.

Did you know Spanish Nature do specialist tailormade holidays and shortbreaks for other companies, individuals, groups and clubs?

One such recent tour was organised by Spanish Nature for the Andalucia Bird Society and involved a 3 night 4 day excursion to Morocco. The Society wanted a brief introduction to the marshland areas of the Atlantic Coast, so we made all the arrangements from transport to hotels and this also included a boat trip around the lagoon of Merja Zerga. In all 15 members attended the tour and in the period were able to see 112 species of wintering birds, led by our guide. By working together the Society and Spanish Nature were able to present a local guide and guardian at Merja Zerga with a donated Opticron Telescope. One of the objects to the tour was to raise local awareness of the search for the elusive Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris and the need to visit regularly the previously well known wintering haunts of this species, hopefully the donated telescope will yield a result! The tour was a great success and one which the Andalucia Bird Society wishes to repeat.

Spanish Nature are able to offer individuals, groups, touring companies and clubs, their services for organising itineraries to Spain, Morocco, Gambia, Senegal, Kenya, China, India, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Galapagos Islands. For further information and friendly advice please contact us.

Morocco was probably among the best countries to have been able to observe this species with the last acceptable records being submitted in February 1998. Unconfirmed reports, subsequent to 1998, refer to the area Merja Zerga and whilst probable, these records have not been officially accepted. During the later part of 2008 Birdlife International, and other notable organisations, launched an appeal for all birdwatchers to search for Slender-billed Curlew.

During the course of 2009 Spanish Nature launched its own appeal for used binoculars and telescopes. The binoculars are for various schools in the Saharan region, but the telescopes are to be given to local Moroccan birding guides. Our first priority was to donate a scope to our friend and local guide at Merja Zerga, he is familiar with the bird and we hope this added aid will prove invaluable in helping him with the chance to rediscover the Slender-billed Curlew! What a contribution that would be and although extremely unlikely, we feel it is a positive step towards helping the project.

We visit Morocco on at least 5 occasions with tours each year and all our senior guides normally travel via the northern route along the Atlantic coast to reach Marrakech. We will donate guide fees to allow our guides to spend some days prior to and after our main tours. It will mean we have some excellent observers visiting likely habitats away from Merja Zerga at least 5 times a year.

For all intending to visit this fine country, please help us to help rediscover this wonderful bird and thus help secure its future. See here for free identification pack.