Birds Active during the day

Mountain Trogon

Trogon mexicanus

iNaturalist eBird Wikipedia

With its brilliant red breast and iridescent green plumage, the Mountain Trogon is a crown jewel of the pine-oak highlands. Often called the Mexican Trogon, this elusive bird brings a touch of tropical splendor to the cool, misty mountain air.

0 Sightings

0 Habitats

Quick Identification

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Size

29–31 cm (11.5–12 in) in length; wingspan of 38–43 cm (15–17 in); weighs 70–80 g (2.5–2.8 oz)

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Colors

Males are metallic green on the head and back with a bright red belly and a white breast band. Females are warm brown on the head and back with a red lower belly.

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Key Features

Distinctive white horizontal breast band
Vibrant red belly and undertail coverts
Square-tipped tail with fine black-and-white barring
Metallic green (male) or warm brown (female) upperparts

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Active during the day

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Peak hours 6-10 AM, 3-6 PM

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Season Year-round; most visible March-July during breeding

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Diet Omnivorous; primarily feeds on large insects like caterpillars, cicadas, and beetles, supplemented by small fruits, especially from the laurel family.

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Habitat High-altitude pine-oak forests, humid evergreen forests, and cloud forest edges.

public Geographic range

Where Does the Mountain Trogon Live?

Native to the highland regions of North and Central America, the Mountain Trogon is primarily found throughout the central and southern mountains of Mexico. Its range extends southward through the rugged interior of Guatemala and into the northern highlands of Honduras. While it is a permanent resident in these mountainous corridors, it occasionally appears as a rare vagrant in the sky islands of the southern United States and parts of El Salvador.

Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors

5 Countries

450K km² Range

Least Concern Conservation

MX Mexico GT Guatemala HN Honduras US United States SV El Salvador

Elevation range

0 m1,000 m2,000 m4,000 m

1,200 m – 3,500 m

eco

iNaturalist / Verified observation data

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Behavior

The Mountain Trogon is a relatively sedentary bird, often spending long periods perched motionless on horizontal branches in the mid-to-upper canopy. This "sit-and-wait" behavior makes them somewhat difficult to spot despite their bright colors, as they blend into the dappled light of the forest. When they do move, they perform short, fluttering flights to snatch insects from foliage or pluck berries from branches, often hovering briefly mid-air with a distinctive audible wingbeat.

Socially, they are usually found singly or in pairs and are highly territorial during the breeding season. They are known for their vocalizations, which consist of a series of low, hollow barking notes that can echo through the misty highlands. While they are generally shy and avoid direct interaction with humans, they are not particularly flighty and may allow a patient observer to watch them if they remain still and quiet.

photo_camera EverydayEarth exclusive

Camera Tips

Capturing a Mountain Trogon on camera requires focusing on the mid-story of the forest, typically between 3 and 10 meters above the ground. These birds prefer horizontal, unobstructed branches as hunting perches. If you are placing a camera in a backyard that borders highland woods, look for native fruiting trees—especially wild avocados or other members of the Lauraceae family. Trogons are highly attracted to these fruits and will return to the same tree daily until the fruit is gone.

Because trogons are "sit-and-wait" predators, they can remain perfectly still for several minutes at a time. This behavior often fails to trigger standard motion sensors on trail cameras. To overcome this, use a high-sensitivity setting or a time-lapse mode that takes a photo every 30 to 60 seconds during the morning hours. If your camera has a "hybrid" mode, set it to take a high-resolution photo followed by a short video clip to capture the bird's unique hovering feeding motion.

Lighting is a major challenge in their preferred habitat, which is often misty or densely shaded. Position your camera facing north or south to avoid direct sun flare, and try to frame a branch that receives consistent dappled light. During the spring breeding season (March through June), look for old woodpecker holes in decaying pine or oak trees. Placing a camera at a safe distance from a potential nesting cavity can provide incredible footage of the pair bringing insects to their young, though you must ensure the equipment is well-camouflaged to prevent disturbing them.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Mountain Trogon.

Elegant Trogon

The Elegant Trogon has a more copper-toned tail and coarser barring on the undertail, and generally inhabits lower, more arid woodlands.

Collared Trogon

Smaller in size with a much bolder, high-contrast black-and-white barred tail pattern compared to the Mountain Trogon.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Mountain Trogons are most active in the early morning, starting about 30 minutes after sunrise, and again in the late afternoon before dusk. These are the peak times for both foraging and vocalizing, making them easier to locate.

The best way to attract them is to maintain mature native trees like oaks and pines, and to plant native fruiting shrubs or trees from the laurel family. They generally avoid open lawns, so creating a multi-layered garden with plenty of canopy cover is essential.

They have a varied diet of large insects—such as grasshoppers and caterpillars—and small fruits. They are known for 'sallying,' a foraging technique where they fly out from a perch to snatch food off a leaf or out of the air.

No, they are rarely found in typical suburban settings. They are specialists of high-altitude forests (usually above 1,200m) and are typically only found in residential areas that are directly adjacent to large mountain forest reserves.

The Mountain Trogon has a tail that is mostly white underneath with fine, dense black barring, whereas the Elegant Trogon has much coarser, more distinct black-and-white barring. Additionally, the Mountain Trogon prefers cooler, higher-elevation pine-oak forests.

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