One of the 4 trogons on WAnimals
Birds · Trogoniformes · Trogonidae
Narina Trogon
Apaloderma narina
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary
The Narina trogon is the most widespread trogon in Africa, iridescent emerald green above with an intensely crimson breast in the male. Like all trogons it stays motionless for long stretches on a perch in the understorey, turning only its head, which makes it surprisingly hard to find despite its colours. It owes its name to Narina, a Khoikhoi woman to whom the French naturalist François Levaillant dedicated the species in the eighteenth century.
Weight
50 g – 90 g
Size
29 cm – 34 cm
Lifespan
12 years
Diet
Insectivore
Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
In pairs
Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.
Sighting difficulty
Easy
Fun facts
- Its name honours a Khoikhoi woman: the naturalist François Levaillant, who travelled through South Africa in the eighteenth century, dedicated the species to his companion, whom he called Narina, and it is one of the few bird names in the world that honours an African person.
- Like all trogons it has an arrangement of toes unique among birds, with the first and second toes pointing backwards, shared by no other group.
- Its stillness is its camouflage: it stays motionless with its back to the observer, and the iridescent green of its back merges it with the foliage even though the crimson breast is visible from the other side.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
- Habitat & environment
- Rainforest, gallery forest and montane forest of sub-Saharan Africa
- Sexual maturity
- 12 months
- Gestation / incubation
- 18 days of incubation
- Litter / clutch size
- 3 eggs
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apaloderma_narina
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapWhere to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 29 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Narina Trogon — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Southern Tree Hyrax
Dendrohyrax arboreus
Guinea Turaco
Tauraco persa
Violet Turaco
Musophaga violacea
Malachite Sunbird
Nectarinia famosa
Four-toed Sengi
Petrodromus tetradactylus
Southern Boubou
Laniarius ferrugineus
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Based on what we already know about narina trogon.
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