Trogons: Trogoniformes

Physical characteristics: Orange-breasted trogons generally have an olive-yellow head with feathers that are bristled and upright, chestnut upperparts, orange breast that changes to bright yellow on upper and lower portions, white bars on wing sections, and a blue bill. Males have a dull olive-yellowish head with a blue ring; rufous (reddish brown) upperparts and upper tail with paler rump (lower part of back); broad white bars on wing sections; and yellow (gray-based) upper breast with some white along the mid-line. Females have additional gray-brown on head and upperparts; pale buffy-brown rump, gray breast; and yellow lower underparts. Juveniles are similar to females, with young males having warmer brown upperparts. They are Orange-breasted trogons sometimes feed in flocks containing several other species of birds. They eat fruit and insects. (Illustration by Bruce Worden. Reproduced by permission.) 9.8 to 10.2 inches (25 to 26 centimeters) long and weigh about 2 ounces (57 grams).

Geographic range: Orange-breasted trogons are found in southern China, the Malaysian Peninsula, Java, Sumatra, and northern Borneo.

Habitat: Orange-breasted trogons are found in humid, lower-to-middle elevation evergreen forests, lowlands and swampy forests, open dry forests, bamboo forests, thin tree jungles, and sometimes among clumps of trees near forests.

Diet: Orange-breasted trogons feed on fruits and insects including ants, beetles, caterpillars, cicadas (suh-KAY-duhz), crickets, grasshoppers, lizards, spiders, and various vegetable materials. They feed on the ground more often than other trogons, but appear to also feed high off the ground within forests. They sometimes feed in flocks containing several species.

Behavior and reproduction: Orange-breasted trogons perch on shorter trees in the middle and upper canopy (uppermost layer of vegetation) of the forest. They perch by themselves or in pairs, usually not moving. They breed January to June, but usually in February and March. These birds build nests in hollow stumps that are low to the ground, usually less than 3 feet (1 meter) from the ground. Females can lay one to four eggs, but two or three eggs are most common. Little information is available on rearing techniques with regards to incubation and nestling periods (time when young birds are still unable to leave the nest).

Orange-breasted trogons and people: There is no known significance between orange-breasted trogons and people.

Conservation status: Orange-breasted trogons are not globally threatened. ∎