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Resplendent Quetzal

Miranda Krestovnikoff presents the resplendent quetzal of Guatemala.

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Miranda Krestovnikoff presents the resplendent quetzal of Guatemala. The image of resplendent quetzals are everywhere in Guatemala, but the source of their national emblem is now confined to the cloud forests of Central America. Its beauty has long entranced people, the male quetzal a shimmering emerald-green above and scarlet below. His outstanding features are the upper tail feathers which, longer than his entire body, extend into a train almost a metre in length, twisting like metallic ribbons as he flies through the tree canopy. Historically resplendent quetzals were considered sacred to the Mayans and Aztecs for their brilliant plumage, with the lavish crown of the Aztec ruler Moctezuma the Second, containing hundreds of individual quetzal tail plumes.

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2 minutes

Last on

Thu 11 Aug 2022 05:58

Clip

Resplendent quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno)

Webpage image courtesy of Konrad Wothe / naturepl.com.

漏 Konrad Wothe / naturepl.com.

Broadcasts

  • Wed 29 Oct 2014 05:58
  • Sun 2 Nov 2014 08:58
  • Wed 4 Nov 2015 05:58
  • Tue 5 Feb 2019 05:58
  • Thu 11 Jun 2020 05:58
  • Wed 7 Oct 2020 05:58
  • Thu 11 Aug 2022 05:58

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