Come learn with us about the Resplendent Quetzal, an exceptionally beautiful bird native to Central America. This bird loves fruit and lives in a special type of rainforest known as a cloud forest. Males of this species grow a 3 foot long tail feather during the mating season to entice birds. Kristen goes a little into the mythology around the quetzal bird, who was revered by the Aztecs. In the show notes you can link to a video that shows how clapping outside certain Aztec temples brings back the sound of the quetzal.

Research for today’s episode came from the following sources: 

https://abcbirds.org/bird/resplendent-quetzal/

https://ebird.org/species/resque1

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/facts/resplendent-quetzal

https://www.britannica.com/science/cloud-forest-ecology

Carrasco, David (ed.). “Feathered Serpent.” The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures, 2001. eISBN: 9780195188431

Additional Resources:

Sounds of the Mayan Temple - Like the Quetzal Bird https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTKCk9iLqRc

How to pronounce Quetzalcoatl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAc4CXJZXgk

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Thanks for listening, and happy birding!