Resplendent Quetzal: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Parrots and Toucans · day 6 of 7

Five facts

1. Male quetzals sport tail streamers up to 100.5 cm long, while the bird's body is only 36-40 cm.
2. A quetzal swallows berries whole and spits out the pits, spreading seeds for at least 32 tree species.
3. Quetzals nest more than 60 m up, and they court each other in the air with special calls.
4. Both parents take turns sitting on the eggs. Their long tail feathers stick out of the nest hole like a clump of fern.
5. Quetzals are fruit specialists, eating from 41 to 43 species, but they also catch insects, frogs, lizards and snails.

The quiz

1. How long can a male quetzal's streamers get?

• Up to 10 cm
• Up to 100.5 cm (correct)
• Up to 40 cm
• Up to 300 cm

The streamers reach up to 100.5 cm, far longer than the 36-40 cm body.

2. For at least how many tree species does the quetzal spread seeds?

• 3
• 320
• 32 (correct)
• 12

Its spat-out pits spread seeds for at least 32 tree species.

3. How high do quetzals build their nests?

• More than 60 m up (correct)
• About 6 m up
• On the ground
• About 60 cm up

Their nests are more than 60 m up.

4. What do the tail feathers poking out of a quetzal nest hole look like?

• A tiny flag
• A bundle of straw
• A snake
• A bunch of fern (correct)

The long feathers poking out of the hole look like fern growing from it.

5. On how many species do quetzals feed?

• 4 to 5
• 41 to 43 (correct)
• 141 to 143
• 11 to 13

Quetzals are fruit specialists that feed on 41 to 43 species.

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