Narina trogon

Apaloderma narina

Photo by Bo Jerkeman (iGoTerra)

Common name:
Narina trogon (en); republicano (pt); trogon Narina (fr); trogón de Narina (es); Narinatrogon (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Trogoniformes
Family Trogonidae

Range:
This species is found in sub-Saharan Africa, from southern Guinea east to southern Sudan and Ethiopia, south to Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and through southern Mozambique into south-eastern South Africa.

Size:
These birds are 29-34 cm long and weigh 50-95 g.

Habitat:
The Narina trogon is mostly found in tropical rainforests, gallery forests and dry savannas, but also use scrublands, second growths, alien Eucalyptus plantations and rural gardens. They are present at altitudes of 50-3.500 m.

Diet:
They mainly hunt invertebrates, such as caterpillars and adult moths, mantids, cicadas, tree grasshoppers, beetles, termite alates and spiders. Rarely, they also take chameleons and skinks.

Breeding:
Narina trogons are monogamous and can breed all year round. They nest in an unlined natural tree cavity, where the female lays 2-4 eggs. The eggs are incubated by both parents for 16-21 days. The chicks are mainly fed by the male and fledge 25-28 days after hatching, but will remain with their parents for several months even after being able to forage on their own.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and is reported to be locally uncommon but widespread. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.