Nombre en español: Trogón Esmeralda

Nombre en ingles: Amazonian Black-throated Trogon

Nombre científico: Trogon rufus

Familia: Trogonidae

Canto: Fernando Igor de Godoy

El surucuá amarillo (Trogon rufus) es una especie de ave parapaserina en la familia trogon de los Trogonidae.

Distribución física

Se reproduce en tierras bajas del sur de Honduras al oeste de Ecuador, hasta el norte de Argentina.

Hábitat y alimentación

Es residente de los niveles bajos de selvas tropicales, prefiere fuerte sombra. Comen insectos y fruta, a veces en vuelo; oportunísticamente utilizan artrópodos, lo que hace visibles a otros predadores como coatimundis (Nasua nasua).

Su pico fuerte y patas débiles reflejan sus hábitos arbóreos y su dieta. Aunque su vuelo es rápido, son renuentes a volar alguna distancia. Típicamente se ubican en perchas y no se mueven.

Descripción física

Muchos surucuas tienen plumajes distintivos entre macho y hembra, con plumas suaves, con frecuencia coloridas.

Es relativamente pequeña la especie: 23-24 cm de largo y pesa 54-57 g, con un bajo cola blanco y tiras negras, un pico amarillo y alas cubiertas vermiculadas con blanco y negro, pero a la distancia parece gris.

El macho tiene cabeza verde, pecho alto y trasero, cara y cogote negro, y vientre dorado amarillo. La hembra de cara, pecho y trasero pardos, cola rojiza y vientre amarillo. Los inmaduros recuerdan al adulto pero más suaves, y los jóvenes machos garganta, pecho y alas marrones.

Canto

El llamado es un krrrrrr, y acompaña con claros chistidos, cuh cuh cuh cuh.

Anidación

Anida entre 1-6 m de altura en una cavidad, con su típica puesta de dos huevos blancos.

Amazonian Black-throated Trogon

The Amazonian Black-throated Trogon, also known as yellow-bellied trogon, (Trogon rufus) is a near passerine bird in the trogon family, Trogonidae. Although it is also called «yellow-bellied trogon» it is not the only trogon with a yellow belly. It breeds in lowlands from Honduras south to western Ecuador and northern Argentina.

Like most trogons, it has distinctive male and female plumages and with soft colourful feathers. This relatively small species is 23–24 cm long and weighs 54-57 g, with a white undertail with black barring, a yellow bill and wing coverts which are vermiculated with black and white, but appear grey at any distance. The male black-throated trogon has a green head, upper breast and back, black face and throat, and golden yellow belly. The female has a brown head, upper breast and back, rufous upper tail and yellow belly. Immatures resemble the adults but are duller, and young males have a brown throat, breast and wing coverts.

The call is a churring krrrrrr, and the song is a typical trogon series of a few clear whistles, cuh cuh cuh cuh.

It is a resident of the lower levels of damp tropical forests, and prefers the deep shade of the understory. Their broad bills and weak legs reflect their diet and arboreal habits. Although their flight is fast, they are reluctant to fly any distance. They typically perch upright and motionless.

Black-throated trogons feed mainly on arthropods as well as some fruit, often taken in flight; they are one of the most insectivorous trogon species of their range. They opportunistically catch arthropods that have been startled by other predators, such as coatis (Nasua spp.).

The black-throated trogon nests 1–6 m (3.3–19.7 ft) high in an unlined shallow cavity, with a typical clutch of two white eggs.