What is Quetzal?
The brilliant quetzal is a brilliantly colored tropical bird that is originally in Central America. A national bird from Guatemala, which is also known as Guatemalan Quetzal. It has a long history as an important part of many Central American cultures, but is now endangered by deforestation of tropical forests.
The diameter body of the quetzal on average between 15 and 16 inches (about 38 to 40 cm) and the tail can add up to the total length of the bird up to the next 24 inches (61 cm). Male birds' tails grow even longer at the beginning of the season mating in March, trying to impress potential female partners. At this time men can be seen with tail feathers up to 3 feet (1 m) long. Birds, acquaintances and valuable for their brilliant colors, have heads and back, which are brilliant metal green and dark red chests; The male has a gold -green ridge on his head. The Quetzal Female has a similar color, but lacks a clear, metal brilliance of the male.
The native Quetzal station is high in the tropical rainforests of Central America. The bird is usually found in tree canopies at a height of over 4,000 feet (1,220 m), where the temperature is colder. The nests are built in holes in trees that men and females will dig on trees with their beaks unless satisfactory nesting holes are found. The diameter of only about 4 inches (10 cm) alternate both parents on the egg. Long -to -day nest can sometimes identify long tail feathers protruding from the nest hole.
In the period of reproduction, two eggs are usually produced, which are light blue and laid directly on the floor of the nest. Within a few weeks of hatching young birds begin to develop their strong feathers, altheng their color is usually mute until they reach maturity at the age of three. Parents alternate and feed them until they leave the nest, after their father teaches them to fly.
the radiant quetzal has long been sacred to the Aztecs and the May and their feathers were SYMolder of royal rank and associated with the god Quetzalcoatl. Mythology surrounds these birds, which are said to resemble a green lightning on flight, so it is assumed that they will never affect Earth during their lives. The folklore said that this symbol of royal independence would die if he ever took on the prisoner, began the practice of plucking feathers from birds and released them rather than trying to capture or increase them in captivity.