19th C Victorian Diorama of 2 Male Resplendent Quetzals (Pharomachrus mocinna) under original glass dome on an ebonised base
<1947
82 x 52 x 28 cm
454
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Quetzals are strikingly coloured birds in the trogon family and live in humid Neotropical highlands. Quetzals have iridescent green or golden-green wing coverts, back, chest and head, with a red belly. They are strongly sexually dimorphic, and parts of the females' plumage are brown or grey. These largely solitary birds feed on fruits, berries, insects and small vertebrates. Even with their famous bright plumage, they can be hard to see in their natural wooded habitats. The male's tail is also longer than his body. This bird is significant in Mesoamerican culture. It is the national bird of Guatemala and is depicted on its flag and coat of arms. In Mayan mythology, it is associated with the snake god Quetzalcoatl and resistance to the Spanish conquest.