The Board of Directors of the Friends of Madera Canyon received the following letter from a member.
For almost 20 years, Doug and Marcia Jurgens enjoyed the beauty of Madera Canyon. First, they moved to Green Valley part time, spending the rest of the year in central Illinois. But the mountains and canyons of Arizona were calling to them, and they soon moved there full time.
With their children and grandchildren living in three other states, it was a special occasion when they could all assemble. And what did they do? They hiked – all thirteen of them, some in backpacks or carried in arms or on hips. Before long, they walked side by side with grandkids taller than they were, climbing up and down trails, over boulders, through streams and around cacti. They also delighted in birdwatching – and particularly, spotting an Elegant Trogon for the first time.
For Doug and Marcia, Madera Canyon represented their retired years, full of activity, natural beauty, and memories made, and they truly delighted at all that it offered their family
After an early morning hike into Madera Canyon, I (JCM) returned to the parking lot and waited for a couple of friends to come off the trail. A woman pulled in and parked near my Jeep. She exited her car and asked me, “How far do I have to walk?” My response was, “For what?” She replied, “To see the trogons.” The tone in her voice suggested that I should have intuitively known her goal.
On the return hike to the parking lot, I passed eight birders watching several trogons. I replied, “They are a mile, maybe two, up the trail.” She responded with some vocalization, expressing her displeasure at walking that far, and proceeded up the trail.
We start this book with stories about Arizona trogons. Their charismatic appeal brings more people to Madera Canyon and the Santa Ritas than any other species. Trogons are also symbolic of what is happening to the Santa Ritas. Even though they can fly, they generally choose not to fly long distances.
Under these conditions, we can expect the Elegant Trogon to have reduced genetic variability. Adding to their fragile existence is the tendency for trogons to be monogamous. Each population will differ, and local populations will be susceptible to habitat fragmentation and local extinctions.
The trogons and quetzals, members of the Trogonidae family, present a taxonomic problem. Their number of species varies depending on the source. For our purposes, we shall consider forty-four species housed within seven genera, bearing in mind that several species contain multiple subspecies.
The Neotropics emerge as the nucleus of trogon diversity, harboring four genera with twenty-four species. A solitary African genus claims three species, while two genera in Southeast Asia add another twelve species to the tally.
Distinctive features define the quetzals found within the genera Pharomachrus and Euptilotis. These spectacular creatures sport a regal crest adorning their heads, elongated upper wing coverts, and upper tail coverts that exceed the length of the tail itself. In the case of the Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno), this tail can reach an astonishing 27 inches. The tail, though elongated, possesses a broad base and a truncated shape. Their bills, while short, exhibit broadness at the base and often sport vibrant hues while showcasing a robust arch. Notably, some species feature a serrated maxilla, an adaptation aiding them in manipulating their food.
A few decades ago, I was in the Tilarán Mountain Range of Costa Rica watching a Resplendent Quetzal in a cloud forest with a group of birders. After the male flew off, the woman standing next to me, commented, “That was better than an orgasm.”
Of particular interest is the genus Euptilotis, a monotypic genus (consisting of only one species) that appears to have made a recent foray into Arizona.
Trogons are pan-tropical denizens, populating forests across the equatorial regions of nearly all major land masses. Their elevational distribution ranges from sea level to an impressive 11,500 ft. Comprehensive studies on Neotropical trogons have shed light on their dietary preferences, revealing a reliance on a varied diet of fruits and arthropods. Interestingly, as body mass increases, the proportion of fruit in their diet also rises. These trogons play a crucial ecological role as seed dispersers for fruits larger than 0.60 inches in diameter, thus contributing significantly to plant dispersal (Remsen et al. 1993).
One cannot discuss trogons without acknowledging their striking plumage, which exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism. Both males and females possess vibrant, colorful feathers that captivate the eye. Additionally, trogons have a distinctive adaptation in their foot structure, characterized by toes three and four in the front, while toes one and two are positioned at the back. This unique arrangement, known as the heterodactyl foot, is a trait exclusive to trogons.
In their foraging behavior, trogons employ a technique called “sallying substrate gleaners” (Collar 2001). This entails capturing insects and plucking fruits while in flight, a remarkable feat that necessitates their derived wing morphology, characterized by a robust skeleton. Their broad bills and relatively weak legs further support their feeding habits.
Although trogons can fly swiftly, they are reluctant to prolonged aerial excursions. Seasonal altitudinal movements are observed, yet their latitudinal migrations are limited, prompting debate among scholars regarding their migratory habits. Some regard them as non-migratory, while others classify them as local migrant forest birds with limited long-distance dispersal abilities (Eisenman 1985; Collar 2001). Local migrants, in this context, refer to species that breed in one habitat type but overwinter in a distinct habitat within the same geographic region.
In the sky island landscapes of Arizona, two trogon species have been sighted—the Elegant Trogon (Trogon elegans) and the Eared Quetzal (Euptilotis neoxenus). Both species are on the northern fringe of their range, with the bulk of their distributions extending southward into Mexico.
The remarkable story of John Gould, a man whose passion for birds propelled him to great heights despite a lack of formal education, is a testament to the power of dedication and innate talent. Gould’s journey began in his early teenage years when he commenced his professional life as an apprentice gardener at 14. However, his interest in animals, particularly birds, soon took hold of his imagination and steered him towards a different path.
By the time he reached 20, Gould had honed his skills as a taxidermist to such a degree that he established his own business in the bustling city of London. His expertise and reputation eventually caught the attention of the Zoological Society of London, leading to his appointment as the first preserver and curator at the society’s museum before turning 30.
Gould’s insatiable fascination with birds bloomed in the late 1820s. A collection of specimens from the Himalayas found its way to the Zoological Society’s museum. Inspired by this treasure trove, Gould harbored a grand vision of creating a monumental work—a volume of imperial folio size measuring 12 by 19 inches—comprising 100 meticulously hand-colored lithographs. The project materialized as A Century of Birds Hitherto Unfigured from the Himalaya Mountains, 1830-32, with the text penned by Gould’s esteemed friend and mentor, N. A. Vigor. Elizabeth Gould, John’s talented wife, assumed the illustrator’s role, meticulously transferring her drawings onto the large lithographic stones. When publishers showed no interest in the project, Gould took matters into his own hands and self-published the work in twenty monthly installments, each volume containing four plates.
This initial endeavor set the tone for the design and format of Gould’s future bird accounts, which would span half a century. In subsequent volumes, Gould was responsible for authoring the texts and overseeing the production process. The remarkable outcome was the publication of fifty books encompassing avian species from all corners of the world except for Africa. Gould’s contributions extended beyond his written works, as he also presented over three hundred scientific papers on various ornithological subjects. The hand-colored lithographic plates accompanying his publications numbered more than 3,300, each a testament to the meticulous diligence and artistic excellence for which Gould’s publications became renowned.
While Gould was not the primary artist behind these magnificent illustrations, the visionary design and arrangement of the accounts bore the unmistakable mark of his genius. Elizabeth Gould served as his first artist, and her remarkable talent was followed by several others who contributed to Gould’s monumental undertaking.
In 1834, based on specimens obtained in Mexico, Gould described the Elegant Trogon (Trogon elegans). In the subsequent year of 1835, he reported coloration differences within populations of Trogon elegans. Furthermore, Gould’s meticulous observations and taxonomic discernment led him to describe Trogon neoxenus in 1838, attributing its type locality to Mexico. Two decades later, in 1858, he proposed the genus Euptilotis, designating Trogon neoxenus as its type species.
John Gould’s legacy as an author, artist, and publisher of the first comprehensive monograph on birds of the world endures today. His unwavering dedication to ornithology and unparalleled contributions to the field inspire and awe generations of bird enthusiasts and scientists alike.
Gould (1838) explained why he named this species neoxenus.
“I have seldom been more gratified by the sight of any species of this beautiful family than I was on the receipt of the bird figured in the accompanying Plate, which exhibits characters of the highest interest, although the specimen (the only one I have seen) is evidently in a state of immaturity. Judging from analogy, I should conceive that it is the young male of an aberrant species of that splendid minor group, to which the sub-generic name of Calurus has been applied; and that the adult, which is at present unknown, will, whenever it is discovered, prove to be a bird of very great beauty. The individual represented was received from Mexico by John Taylor, Esq., by whom it was presented to the Zoological Society of London. The difficulty of assigning a specific name to any species of which the young only has been seen, has induced me to propose that of neoxenus (welcome stranger) for the present bird, adult examples of which will be sought for with the highest interest by every ornithologist.”
Today, the Elegant Trogon (Trogon elegans) is recognized to have five valid subspecies, as established by Peters in 1945. These subspecies can be grouped into two distinct categories: the northern and the southern. The northern group includes T. e. ambiguus, T. e. goldmani, and T. e. canescens, while the southern group comprises T. e. elegans and T. e. lubricus. The differentiation between these groups lies in the pattern displayed on the ventral side of the flight feathers and the coloration on the dorsal side of the tail.
The southern group, found in Central America, exhibits a unique narrow black-and-white barring pattern on the upper surface of the tail feathers, accompanied by a greenish sheen. On the other hand, the northern group, which inhabits Mexico and the United States (specifically the ambiguus group), showcases a delicate gray-and-white marbling pattern on the upper tail feathers, accompanied by a coppery sheen. While recognizing these two groups as a single species is based on intermediate patterns observed in females and immature birds, they can still be distinguished. The ambiguus group, for instance, displays a coppery sheen on the upper side of its central rectrices (except for goldmani), and the middle of its wings exhibits finer and more minute barring than the elegans group. However, a more comprehensive study incorporating molecular data is needed to delve into the Elegant Trogon’s various populations and their potential differentiation.
Gould’s description of the Elegant Trogon dates to 1834, and it was subsequently included in his monograph on birds. The following information is extracted from the 1835 edition of his monograph.
Figure 1. The Plate represents an adult male.
The beautiful bird here figured under the specific title of elegans is a native of Guatimala, a country rich beyond measure in zoological stores, and of the numberless productions of which a large proportion are yet to be characterized by the scientific.
The Graceful Trogon was received from Paris, to which city it was sent from Guatimala in company with several other species, as the Trog. resplendens, See.
In point of affinity it is most nearly allied to the bird we have called ambiguus, the chief point of difference being in the decided barring of the outer tail-feathers, and in the stronger marking on the wings.
The lengthened tails of many of the Mexican Trogons seems a feature which distinguishes them from all the other Trogons of the new continent; but in this particular the Trog. elegans is especially conspicuous, possessing as it does a more lengthened tail than any other of the smaller species of this genus.
The female is readily distinguished from the male by her more obscure and less gaudy colouring, a description of which is given above. The plate represents a male and female.
In Gould’s monograph on trogons (1838), the account immediately following the Trogon elgans account is Gould’s description of Trogon ambiguus. Today this is considered a subspecies of the Elegant Trogon. He comments.
Those who have had opportunities for studying nature are well aware how slight occasionally are the shades of difference between closely-allied species: it might be objected that these differences may be merely casual, or those of variety only; but when we find that they constantly obtain in two birds brought from two very distinct countries, and that by attending to their markings we should be able to assign to each its peculiar locality, the objection falls to the ground: it is true that the same species may differ in the intensity of its colouring, from the influence of temperature, air, and food, but it will seldom be found to vary in the character of its permanent markings.
It is upon these views that I have ventured to separate this bird from the Trogon elegans, to which it so closely assimilates that it requires an experienced eye to note the points of difference; these points consist in the obscure and pale, but finely-dotted appearance of the outer tail-feathers of Trog. ambiguus, in opposition to the strong and well-defined black bars on the same part in Trog. elegans; while at the same time the centre of the wing is much more finely and minutely barred in the former than in the latter. Had I seen only a single individual of each of these birds, I might have been in doubt on the subject; but my comparisons having been made upon individuals of all ages, I feel but little hesitation in assigning to the present bird, at least provisionally, the rank of a distinct species.
The localities in which these two birds appear to be indigenous are distinctly separated from each other; all the examples I have seen of Trogon ambiguus having been exclusively received from the northern states of Mexico, while the Trogon elegans is strictly limited to the southern.
The Eared Quetzal (Euptilotis neoxenus) was documented near the northern extent of its range, within approximately 160 km of the Arizona-Mexico border, as recorded by Marshall in 1957. This species is predominantly found in the forests of the Sierra Madre mountain range. Marshall’s observations revealed that the Eared Quetzal occupied extensive territories within the pine-oak woodlands, which included adjacent white pine and ponderosa pine forests.
During his study, Marshall noted the unusual behavior of the Eared Quetzal. He observed a pair of quetzals traversing a mile of foraging area each day, consistently following the same route and returning to their starting point at dusk. Additionally, he witnessed a lone male traversing a two-mile ridge three times in a single day. The male’s distinct vocalizations and occupation of a large territory stood in contrast to a pair of quetzals that focused on inspecting tree holes near Marshall’s camp. Interestingly, the pair of birds only sang when the lone male approached their location. Another bird, located two miles farther down the same ridge within a forest dominated by Apache pines, also emitted its melodious song. Consequently, within three miles, Marshall encountered three singing males, with the roving bird singing both within the immediate vicinity of the mated pair and throughout its broader range.
Marshall also described the feeding behavior of the species as follows.
“The magnificent Eared Trogon gleans arthropods from pine foliage while hovering an instant with body vertical; then it falls, levels off, and flies to a bare horizontal branch. The hovering position is reached at the end of a short flight inclined upward. Nearly all the activity I saw took place at middle height in tall pines; flights are above the intervening oaks.”
The Eared Quetzal was added to the Arizona fauna in 1977 when a family group of four was discovered at the South Fork of Cave Creek in the Chiricahua Mountains, Cochise County. Zimmerman (1978) described the discovery as follows (minor editing by JCM.)
On the morning of October 18, 1977, Kim Innes, on the South Fork of Cave Creek Canyon in the Chiricahuas, saw and heard an unfamiliar large bird resembling a trogon. She did not see it well. Nevertheless, her report to the American Museum’s Southwest Research Station prompted Ruth Morse to mention that three days earlier, in the South Fork, she too had observed a trogon “that squealed.” To Richard Taylor, a local Forest Service employee studying the canyon’s Elegant or Copperytailed Trogons for some time, this called for an investigation. He had never heard Trogon elegans utter notes answering this description. On October 23, he and Vincent Roth identified the moot bird as a male Eared Trogon. The following day, Barbara Roth, Sally and Walter Spofford, and Bert and Millie Schaughency made a concerted effort to document its presence. All saw the bird well and secured tape recordings and photographs.
It is worth noting that the sightings of Eared Quetzals in Arizona have been quite scattered in time and space. From 1989 to 1997, multiple sightings were documented each year, with pairs present in five of those years. In 1991, particularly notable sightings led to articles proclaiming an “Eared Trogon invasion.” Sightings occurred in various locations within Arizona’s Sky Islands, which share similar Madrean habitats with Mexico and are distributed in a stepping-stone fashion radiating from the core of the Sierra Madre.
The preferred habitat of Eared Quetzals in the United States mirrors that in Mexico, with a preference for mature riparian vegetation in rugged canyons with flowing streams, often adjacent to oak-pine woodland. The behavior of Eared Quetzals in terms of movement and range usage has shown considerable variability over the 45 years of observation. They have been observed using different ranges within the same season and year, and they extensively move and utilize multiple drainages within single seasons and between seasons in the Chiricahua, Huachuca, and Santa Rita mountains.
While the precise reasons for the appearance of Eared Quetzals in the United States are not yet fully understood, there are a few hypotheses. One possibility is that the birds may be displaced from their Mexican habitats due to factors such as wildfires, droughts, or logging activities. This displacement could force them to venture into their neighboring range in the United States. Additionally, it has been suggested that a portion of the Mexican population of Eared Quetzals may be migratory, with some individuals migrating north and northwest from southern areas of their range in Mexico to breed in the northern sections of the country. The sightings map aligns with this trend, showing occurrences in the United States following a northwestern trajectory from known breeding areas in Mexico.
However, despite these hypotheses, there are still unanswered questions regarding the appearance of Eared Quetzals north of the border. The reasons for their presence in only 60% of the years between 1977 and 2022 remain unclear. Further research is needed to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the species’ movements, including their stay in certain areas, whether they return to Mexico, and if the same individuals repeatedly make the journey to the United States.
The Eared Quetzal’s occasional presence in Arizona reflects its ability to undertake long-distance flights across the border. The Sky Islands of Arizona and Mexico provide similar habitats, and the Sierra Madre acts as a central core from which the species disperses. While the exact motivations behind their appearance in the United States are not yet fully elucidated, factors such as displacement from Mexican habitats and potential migratory behavior may contribute to their presence. Further studies will shed more light on this fascinating species’ movements, behavior, and ecological dynamics.
The Discovery of the Elegant Trogon in Arizona
The discovery of an Elegant Trogon’s nest in Madera Canyon by Arthur A. Allen in May 1939 was a significant milestone. Allen, a Cornell University ornithologist, learned of the bird’s presence from Mr. and Mrs. Roger T. Peterson while on a bird-sound recording expedition in Texas. Guided by Charles Vorhies and William Proctor, they quickly located the male trogon in Madera Canyon.
Allen camped near the bird, hoping to record its vocalizations. The trogon started calling the following day, and Allen attempted to approach it with a microphone. However, the trogon flew farther away than the previous day. Unable to get closer, Allen set up the microphone to record a Black-headed Grosbeak instead. After breakfast, he returned to the area to investigate tree holes. As he climbed a ladder against a tree with an old woodpecker hole about nineteen feet from the ground, the male trogon appeared just ten feet away and observed him for over a minute.
Realizing that he had found the bird’s nest, Allen set up a blind on the ground about 25 feet away. Within 30 minutes, the female trogon arrived and flew directly to the nest hole, while the male perched on a nearby branch and emitted notes different from its song. The female clung to the entrance hole, looking inside for several minutes but not entering. When she flew away, the male trogon left with her. This discovery marked a significant milestone, as it took almost half a century from when Elegant Trogons were first found in the USA until their nest was documented.
The observations made by Allen and his companions provided valuable insights into the behavior and breeding habits of the Elegant Trogon. It demonstrated that the species could nest in the United States, reinforcing its status as a regional breeding bird. This finding added to the growing knowledge and understanding of the Elegant Trogon’s presence and ecology in the southwestern United States.
Fossils, DNA, and the Bird’s Tree of Life
The placement of trogons in the birds’ tree of life has been a subject of speculation by various authors. They have been suggested as part of the basal radiation of the order Coraciiformes (includes kingfishes and bee-eaters), closely related to the sub-Saharan mousebirds (Coliiformes), considered relatives to the cosmopolitan owls, and even proposed as part of the order Passeriformes (songbirds). The exact placement of trogons within the avian evolutionary tree remains uncertain, leading to confusion without a definitive answer.
However, a more recent molecular study conducted by Prum et al. in 2015 suggests that trogons and quetzals are sister taxa to the Madagascar Coucko Roller (Leptosomus discolor), which is the only extant species in its family (Leptosomidae). This finding indicates a closer relationship between these species.
The fossil record of trogons dates to 54 Ma in the Early Eocene of Europe. Molecular clock data suggests that the modern Trogoniformes diverged between the African genera and the rest of the clade between 19.7 and 35.6 Ma. New World and Old World trogons diverged between 18 and 32.6 Ma. Fossil evidence from the Paleogene and early Neogene of Europe suggests an Old World origin for the crown group of trogons.
Most trogon fossils are known from the Oligocene and Eocene of France and Germany, which are geographically distant from their current range. The oldest known trogon with a heterodactyl foot is Primotrogon wintersteini, which dates to the French Oligocene around 33 million years ago. The fossil is considered the sister to all extant trogons, sharing structural similarities but with a smaller eye and narrower bill. Despite the current concentration of trogon diversity in the Neotropics, more fossil evidence has been found in the Old World, supporting the hypothesis of an Old World origin for trogons.
According to Cornell University’s online Birds of the World and Wikipedia, the etymology of the trogon name is suggested to be derived from the Greek word for “nibbling.” This name presumably refers to the behavior of trogons gnawing holes in trees to create their nests. While trogons are cavity nesters, not all species make their own nesting cavities. Some trogons carve cavities in decomposing trees, others excavate cavities in arboreal termite nests, and some co-opt tree holes and cavities made by other species. The word “Trogon” is believed to be derived from the Greek word “trogle,” which means hole, as noted by Brown (1985).
Regarding the occurrence of trogons in southern Arizona, one possibility that remains unexplored is that these birds may have been displaced from their natural habitats by wildfires or logging activities. The behavior of the Arizona birds in 2020, which persisted for several months along a well-used recreation corridor of Coronado National Forest, suggests that some Eared Quetzals (a type of trogon) may be able to tolerate more human activity than previously thought. The presence of these birds sparked significant interest and led to a spike in visits to the Sky Islands and adjacent highlands, with numerous observers documenting their sightings. This phenomenon attracted considerable attention from birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts.
Rene’s Quest to Photograph the Trogon
It was January of 2017, and I (RCC) was bound and determined that this would be the year I finally found and photographed one of the most beautiful birds to over-winter in Southern Arizona, the Elegant Trogon. In some parts of Southern Arizona, this species can be found almost year-round; but in 2017, I thought the window of opportunity was January through early April, then POOF – the trogon would be gone for another year.
I was aware that every Winter for the past seventeen years before 2017, one spectacular male, “Elvis” frequented certain areas of Patagonia Lake State Park. I had even heard rumors that he was comfortable around people and would practically pose for the camera. Of course, all this sounded way too good to be accurate, but I had to find out for myself.
On January 22, 2017, a hiking/photography friend and I drove in the early morning from Tucson to Patagonia Lake State Park, in Patagonia, Arizona. Once parked, we “geared up” and hit the trail. We had no idea where to start looking, so we decided to stick to trails near the creek. It was muddy and slippery in some places, and we often lost the trail, but we never lost hope. About four hours into searching, hope was dwindling fast. We stopped and questioned every birder we saw about general areas where this bird has been known to frequent. We got directions ranging from one end of the creek to the other. At one point, a birder said, “it’s just down the creek.” We took off like a rocket! When I am out photographing, I pack about ten pounds of gear. Carrying all this stuff can throw my balance off significantly. So “taking off like a rocket” in muddy, slippery conditions combined with my excitement and a plethora of ankle-grabbing tree roots was bound to result in my going down in a rather ungraceful belly flop in the mud. Thank goodness it wasn’t a cow pie as they dot the terrain in massive gooey numbers. As the wind is being knocked from my lungs, I held the camera strait out so as I went down, my gear never so much as touched dirt. A girl has got to have her priorities. – No bird.
It’s now been six hours of diligent searching and nothing to show for it but muddy clothes and a broken spirit. My friend and I decided that the Elegant Trogon won: 1 for the bird, and 0 for the photographers. We were done and decided to head back, go home, and lick our wounded pride. As we were walking, the trail split. We half- haphazardly chose to take the fork, thinking it might get us to the car faster. As we are walking, I hear my friend say, “Oh Sh*t!”. There in front of us on a tree stump is the Elegant Trogon! It saw us and flew into a tree where lots of twigs obscured it. All around us on the ground were cow pies, but we couldn’t care less. We hit the ground on our knees, trying desperately to “thread the needle” and find a space between twigs where we might get a shot of this beautiful bird. And then magic happened. It was as if “Elvis” knew how hard we had searched and all the ankle-grabbing roots, mud, and cow poo we trekked through to find him, and he decided to reward us for all our efforts.
As if on cue, he flew from his cover and landed a few feet away on an entirely unobstructed branch, at eye level, in perfect light, and posed for a good five minutes or so, giving us the dream shots that we had spent so much time visualizing in our hearts, but never really expected to obtain. Then, in a flash, he was gone. I was nearly in tears from the experience, and my friend and I were on a “birding high” for several weeks following that incredible encounter. Little did we know just how special that meeting would be. After seventeen years of this one beautiful bird over-wintering at Patagonia Lake State Park, he has never been seen again. I have since visited and photographed Elegant Trogons on several occasions at Madera Canyon, but no birding encounter before or since can match the joy I felt while shooting the king himself…Elvis, the king of the Trogons.
