Queen Condor - National bird of the Republic of Guatemala (Central America)

The Resplendent Quetzal is a bird endemic to the Central American cloud forests. It has a colorful appearance and a super long tail. It is a rare and strictly protected bird.

Did you know that among the cloud forests of Central America there is a stunningly beautiful bird - the Queen Condor? With its sparkling emerald green feathers and super long tail like soft silk ribbons flying in the air, this bird has been honored as a symbol of mythical beauty and freedom.

Let's explore the origin, habits and behavior of the Queen Bird in detail to understand why this nicebirds is considered a "treasure of the tropical cloud forest"!

Queen's Water Information :

Origin & distribution of Queen's Water Lily

Learn about the origins of the Queen Condor.

The Queen Quetzal, also known as the Resplendent Quetzal, has the scientific name Pharomachrus mocinno, and is a species of bird belonging to the order Trogoniformes. This is a bird endemic to Central America, living mainly in the mountain cloud forests from southern Mexico to Panama.

The Queen's Grouse was first scientifically described in 1832 by Pablo de la Llave. During the Mayans and Aztecs, the feathers of the Queen's Grouse were highly valued and could only be used by the nobility and the upper class.

Today, the Resplendent Quetzal is the national bird of the Republic of Guatemala, a Central American country. It is featured on the country's coat of arms, flag, and currency.

Queen swallow - A bird with colorful beauty

The Queen Condor is a colorful bird.

The Queen Condor is considered one of the most beautiful birds in the world with colorful feathers and a super long tail. Let's learn more about the appearance of this bird below.

Size :

• Body length: 36 - 40 cm, male birds have long tail feathers so can reach 75 - 100 cm
• Weight: 210 g in parent subspecies

Adult male bird color :

• The fur is metallic green, changing from green to metallic gold or metallic blue depending on the viewing angle and light.
• The lower chest and belly are a super bright red color.
• On the head is a crest of short, upright blue-yellow feathers.
• The long, silky bristles on the tail look even more beautiful and luxurious than the real tail.

Color of female and baby birds :

• Gray or yellow-brown in color, without long tail feathers
• The abdomen is pale red.
• The tail feathers have a black and white striped pattern.

Beak & feet :

• Short, strong beak, male has yellow beak, female has black or pale yellow beak
• Legs are gray or olive green, with two toes pointing back and two toes pointing forward - heterodactyl.

Queen Nuoc's Behavior & Behaviour

Image of a male Queen Nuoc bird showing off its tail to flirt with a female bird.

Queen swallows are wild birds, so they have many interesting habits and behaviors that reflect their lifestyle. Let's find out more details below.

Social focus

Queen cuckoos usually live alone or in pairs during the breeding season, they normally never gather in large flocks.

During the breeding season, they will pair up in monogamous pairs and occupy about 6 - 10 hectares (Guatemala) as their own territory and try to protect it from other birds.

Courtship and mating

The breeding season of the Queen Bird usually takes place from March to June. The male bird will have many interesting courtship behaviors as follows:

• Fly from the tree canopy and then swoop down with your tail feathers hanging down to create a super beautiful effect.
• Combine with seductive calls like “coouee” to attract the attention of your mate.

Once mated, each pair will stay together for at least three breeding seasons or live together permanently.

Nest building & breeding

After successfully mating, the Queen will choose a rotten tree hole to make a nest, and will use her hard beak to erode and widen the nest.

• Each season, the Queen lays 1-2 litters, with an average of 2 eggs per litter.
• Incubation time is about 17 - 19 days, they incubate eggs alternately, the male bird incubates during the day and the female bird incubates at night.
• After the eggs hatch, both the father and mother birds take turns feeding the baby birds worms, berries,...
• Young birds will be able to fly after about 3 weeks, but it takes 3 years for them to fully mature and for their tail feathers to reach their maximum length.

Foraging behavior

The Queen's main food is fruits of the Lauraceae family such as wild avocados and ripe berries. They will often eat the whole fruit and then spit out the seeds - this action partly helps to disperse the species in the forest.

In addition, they also eat insects such as bugs, aphids, ants, snails, frogs, lizards,... especially during the reproductive and child-rearing stages to supplement protein.

Altitude Migration

An extremely interesting habit of the Queen Nuoc is that they will migrate according to altitude. Usually after the breeding season, they will migrate from high mountains to medium or low altitudes, depending on the fruit ripening season.

Communication and sound

The Queen's Cuckoo has a deep, warm, melodious call like a flute with tones such as keow, kowee, k'loo, coouee,... Both male and female birds make the same calls.

Natural enemies and defense

The Queen's enemies are large birds of prey such as eagles, hawks and owls. During the breeding process, the female bird also fights off species such as monkeys and squirrels to protect her eggs and young.

When frightened, this bird often chooses to stand still, raising its beak and neck high. If it cannot threaten the enemy, it will immediately fly up and cry out the alarm.

Why shouldn't you keep Queen Conure as a pet?

A Queen Nuthatch is perched high in the trees of the forest.

Although possessing rare beauty and considered one of the most beautiful birds in the world, the Queen Bird cannot be kept as a pet bird for many serious reasons as follows:

Queen condor is an internationally protected species.

The Queen Condor is not only the national bird of Guatemala, but it is also strictly protected by international law, listed in Appendix I of CITES - Prohibiting international commercial trade.

Therefore, keeping and confining this bird species is illegal and can be prosecuted in many countries.

Endemic wild bird - sensitive to the environment

The Queen Conure is an endemic wild bird that lives in cool, moist cloud forests at altitudes of 1,500 to 3,000 meters. As such, it is very sensitive to changes in temperature, humidity, and light, making it difficult to reproduce these factors in captivity at home.

Special diet

Queen conures have a special diet of wild fruits of the Lauraceae family such as wild avocados and wild roses - which are very difficult to grow, so providing food for them in captivity is also extremely difficult.

Interesting information about Queen Nuoc

Below are some super interesting facts about the Queen Nuoc bird - the rare emerald of the Central American cloud forest. Let's find out more!

• The Queen Mother was a sacred symbol of the ancient Mayans and Aztecs, representing divinity and freedom.
• The currency of the Republic of Guatemala is named “Quetzal” - the name of Queen Nuec.
• The color of this bird is not a fixed pigment but a structural color - changing according to the refraction of light on the superfine feathers, under different angles, their feathers will change many colors such as green to blue, golden yellow,...
• In ancient Europe, the Queen Mother was considered a “plague bird” because her appearance often coincided with major epidemics.

Beautiful Queen Nuoc image

Right below we have collected many beautiful pictures of the Queen Nuoc living in the dense forests of Central America. Please admire more to fully feel the colorful and rare beauty of this bird species.

Super beautiful image of a flying Queen Nuoc bird.

Queen of the Rings with super striking blue-red feathers.

Queen swallow with super long, super colorful tail.

Impressive moment when Queen Nuoc is spreading her wings and flying.

A Queen Nuoc is perched among the forest trees.

Close-up of Queen Nuoc's lovely and colorful face.

Image of a Queen Nuoc bird peeking out of its nest.

The Queen of the Ringed Bird is not only a living testament to the wonders of nature but also the national bird of Guatemala. Although they are not suitable for keeping as pets, the unique and sacred beauty of this bird makes them stand out enough to receive the attention of many bird enthusiasts.

Hopefully, through the article that nicebirds.net shares in the above article, it will help you understand more about Queen Nuoc. Don't forget to visit our Blog section to read more interesting information about other ornamental birds.