COSTA RICA covers less than 0.03 percent of the earth's surface, but is home to 875 registered bird species. According to one source, that's more than the number found in Canada and the United States combined. No wonder, then, that Costa Rica has become a popular destination for bird watchers. Let us share with you our journey to see one of these birds, the resplendent quetzal.
In the early 16th century, the Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés came to Mexico. There he received a quetzal headdress as a gift from the Aztecs. Only Aztec kings had the privilege of wearing such precious ornaments. The quetzal's green jade feathers may have been considered more valuable than gold.
Today, this bird of exceptional beauty occupies a vast area as a habitat, stretching from Mexico to Panama. Quetzal occurs in misty forests at altitudes between 1,200 and 3,000 m. Clouds in forests are the product of the rapid cooling of rising hot air. The result is lush foliage in the shade of huge green trees that reach 30 feet or more in fog all year round.
About 200 kilometers north of San José is the Santa Elena Forest Reserve, a good place to see the quetzal in its natural environment. With the help of a guide, we began our search for a magnificent quetzal. Due to its jade color, the bird is difficult to see as it blends with the foliage of the forest. Our guide begins to imitate your kind and gentle calling. The sound is similar to that of a crying puppy. When one woman in our group heard the Quetzal's response, she really believed there was a stray dog in the forest!
Soon, at a height of about 15 meters, a man appears shyly from a branch to investigate. Through binoculars, their bright colors look even more spectacular than we had imagined. His chest is deep purple, which contrasts with his jade feathers. The tail's white feathers contrasting with the two iridescent greens add to its impressive splendor. Known as streamers, they are approximately two feet long. It is a sight of serene beauty to see the quetzal perched on a branch, its long streamers flowing gently in the wind.
A quetzal sighting is a unique experience. In fact, our guide mentioned that it often takes more than one trip to the forest to see one. The best time to see quetzals is during the breeding season, which runs from March to June. During this time they can have two chicks with two eggs each.
Back at the reservation desk we heard another Quetzal. It slid gracefully and was pulled by its green ribbons and landed on a branch less than five meters from us. The guide informs us that a chick has disappeared from its nest. The father goes from tree to tree in search of his offspring. We have learned that only about 25% of eggs survive to maturity. The rest is lost to predators such as squirrels, emerald toucans, brown jays, weasels and tayras. Another challenge to the quetzals' survival is locating their nests. These are holes similar to those of the woodpeckers that the quetzals make in old logs between 3 and 20 meters above the ground. Decomposition. If it rains heavily, the holes can flood or collapse.
We also learned that quetzal's favorite food is wild avocado. You are sitting on a branch looking at an avocado hanging from the branch of a nearby tree. Then he will focus on his target with a flap of his wings, grab the fruit with his mouth and return to the perch. Swallow the whole fruit and vomit the large avocado seed about 20 to 30 minutes later.
Quetzals migrate to various slopes of the watershed in search of wild avocados. For example, they stay at home on the Pacific side from July to September. Then, in October, they move to the Caribbean side to feed on a new crop of avocados.
When we crossed a suspension bridge about 30 meters above the forest floor, a quetzal almost flew towards us! It looks like this bird was chasing its snack when we crossed paths. The female sits right above us and gives us a reproachful look at the disorder.
They also tell us that another fruit they love is blackberry, which grows on prickly shrubs. While quetzals struggle to get the fruit, sometimes their streamers get stuck in the thorns and are lost. However, over time the tail feathers grow back.
In this way the bird can live up to its name. "Quetzal" is derived from the Aztec word "quetzalli", which means "precious" or "beautiful". Unfortunately, its beauty threatened the quetzal's survival. In fact, Quetzal is listed as an endangered species. They were hunted for their furs, which were sold as souvenirs. Some of the birds were captured alive to be sold as pets. According to our guide, Quetzal now enjoys some legal protection against this type of looting.
Another threat to their survival is deforestation, which leads to habitat loss. To protect this magnificent bird and other wild animals, around 27% of Costa Rica has been designated as protected areas.
Our trip to the Quetzal was really worthwhile. It is true that the quetzal feather headdress given to Hernán Cortés can be seen in the British Museum in London. But quetzal feathers are much more interesting when you see them on a bird that lives in the wild! For now, at least, wild quetzals continue to enjoy freedom and relative security in the cloud forests of Central America.