Quetzal Pictures

In our Quetzal images gallery, you’ll find pictures of the Resplendent Quetzal of Costa Rica, a bird of paradise famed throughout Central America and the world. These quetzal photos show off their emerald-green feathers and the male quetzals’ signature long tails. Each of these Resplendent Quetzal pictures was taken during photography expeditions to Costa Rica, and all are available for purchase.

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Composite Photo Of A Resplendent Quetzal Returning To Its NestThis picture collates three images of a male resplendent quetzal, as it folds its wings to land on a tree trunk. Inside the trunk, the male and his mate have dug out a brooding chamber to hatch and raise their eggs.

The quetzal has some food in its mouth, which might be some of the first solid food its chicks ever taste.

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Costa Rica Resplendent Quetzal PictureAlong with their emerald-green color palette and the males’ long tail feathers, resplendent quetzals are known for their deep, lyrical calls.

They have a wide vocal range, useful in many situations. For example, this quetzal might let out a noise when he takes flight, a different one to warn other quetzals about danger, and yet another one to let his mate know it’s his turn to guard the nest.

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Male Resplendent QuetzalA resplendent quetzal perches on a mossy branch. You can tell he’s a male from his long tail train, which truly deserves the name “resplendent.” These trains can reach up to three feet long by mating season, when the males will use them to prove their fitness to females.

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Birdwatching Of Resplendent Quetzal Perched With A Grasshopper IBirdwatching photo of Resplendent Quetzal perched on a mossy, lichen covered branch with a grasshopper in its beak. This avian has been honored through the ages. Also referred to as the Guatemalan Quetzal, it is a symbol of that nation and even their currency, the quetzal, bears reverence to this bird.

Sacred as well to the Mayans and Aztecs, priests would use their feathers during religious ceremonies. The highlands of Costa Rica provide splendid birdwatching opportunities such as this to capture wildlife images at their rawest. Image taken during a Costa Rica photo tour.

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Resplendent Quetzal Feeding ChickA male resplendent quetzal male pauses for a rest before making his way home to feed his young chick. Quetzals have an omnivorous diet, and love to eat fruit, insects, and anything else small enough for their beaks.

Quetzals introduce their chicks to solid food when the babies are about two weeks old. After leaving the nest, the young are sometimes seen visiting their parents.

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Resplendent Quetzal Female Returning To NestPhotograph of a female resplendent quetzal returning to the nest with food for her newborn chicks.

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Resplendent Quetzal Male Leaving NestA resplendent quetzal male spreads its wings and flies away from the tree where it has made its nest. From this angle, you can see all of the bird’s colors, including its green back, black wings, red chest, and long blue-green tail train.

When it’s time to lay eggs, resplendent quetzals dig a hole in a rotted tree trunk with their beaks. After the female lays the eggs, both parents take turns incubating them.

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Resplendent Quetzal Male Returning To NestA male resplendent quetzal brings food back to the nest. Male quetzals’ tail feathers, which they grow as a mating display, are so long that they’re often seen hanging outside of their nests.

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Resplendent Quetzal Male With Food For ChicksPhoto of a male resplendent quetzal, bringing food home to its mate and chicks. After bringing back enough snacks, the male will take his turn guarding the kids, while his mate goes off to forage.

The male is usually responsible for teaching the chicks to fly. He coaxes one of his chicks to the door of the nest, then models flight until the chick takes to the air. The second chick then learns by copying the first one.

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Resplendent Quetzal With Green Tail FeathersA male resplendent quetzal surveys its home territory in Costa Rica.

These green and turquoise birds are famed throughout Central America, and even lend their name to Guatemala’s currency. Among the ancient Aztecs and Maya, priests and kings reserved the right to wear quetzal feathers.

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Resplendent Quetzal Bird Image From Costa Rica Photo TourConsidered one of the most beautiful avians in the world, this bird image of the Resplendent Quetzal was captured during one of our Costa Rica photo tours. Seen here, El Quetzal's tail feathers are in full view as it sits on a lichen covered forest branch. The Mayans revered this bird as a symbol for light and peace.

The tail feathers were adorned by royalty for the Incans, Mayans, and Aztecs alike. Reaching between 28 inches to 3 feet long and bearing a brilliant iridescent coloring, its no wonder why their plumage was royalty approved. This noble bird image was photographed in the Talamanca mountain region.

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Resplendent Quetzal Male At NestThe resplendent quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) is part of the trogon family, a widespread group of warm-weather birds.

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Resplendent Quetzal Male With Food For Young ChickThis resplendent quetzal doesn’t know there’s a whole national currency named after him. Today, he’s just a father on a mission to feed his family.

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Resplendent Quetzal Male With FoodA male resplendent quetzal male brings some food home for its mate and chick. The male and female parents take turns guarding the newborn and gathering food.

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Male Resplendent Quetzal Tail FeathersA male resplendent quetzal showing off its long tail train. In the mating season, these feathers can grow as much as three feet in length.

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Male Golden Headed QuetzalGolden-headed Quetzal birds mainly eat fruit, but they occasionally eat insects. This is a male golden-headed quetzal because is it brightly colored.

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Resplendent Quetzal Male Gathering FoodResplendent quetzals are omnivores, and will eat anything small enough to fit in their beaks, from fruit to lizards.

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Female Resplendent Quetzal On BranchA female resplendent quetzal. She’s easy to tell apart from the male, since her tail is quite a bit shorter.

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Close Up Photo Of Female Resplendent QuetzalA female resplendent quetzal, pictured in the Costa Rican highlands brings food back to her nest to feed her young.

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Golden Headed QuetzalGolden-headed Quetzal sits perched on a branch amidst the trees in Ecuador. These birds are known for their iridescent green color and their golden heads.

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Female Resplendent Quetzal In Costa RicaThe resplendent quetzal is the national bird of Guatemala. However, this female was spotted in the highlands of Costa Rica.

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Resplendent Quetzal Male At NestA male resplendent quetzal bores a hole into a tree trunk to form the nest where he and his mate will lay their eggs.

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