The Masked Trogon (Trogon personatus) is a species of bird in the Trogonidae family. It is found in tropical or subtropical moist montane forest in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela.

Taxonomy

There are eight recognized subspecies of Masked Trogon:

• T. p. assimilis is found subtropical western Ecuador.
• T. p. duidae is found on Mount Duida in the tepuis region of southern Venezuela; males of this subspecies are reddish-bronze on the back.
• T. p. personatus is found in the subtropical mountains of western Venezuela, eastern Colombia and eastern Peru; males of this subspecies are glossy green above.
• T. p. ptaritepui is found in the tepui region of southern Venezuela; males of this subspecies are golden-green on the back.
• T. p. roraimae is found on Auyantepui and Mount Roraima, on the border between Venezuela and Guyana.
• T. p. sanctamartae is found in the Santa Marta Mountains of northeastern Colombia.
• T. p. submontanus is found in the Andes foothills in Bolivia.
• T. p. temperatus is found in the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

Description

The Masked Trogon is a mid-sized trogon, averaging 10.5 inches (27 cm) in length and 2 ounces (57 g) in mass. Like all trogons, it is sexually-dimorphic. The male is variously glossy green, reddish-bronze or golden-green above (depending on the subspecies), with a similarly colored chest edged by a narrow white band, and a red lower breast and belly. The female is brown above, with a pinkish to red belly and breast; the white band separating brown and red on her underside is often either narrow or obscured.

Behavior

Feeding

Like all trogons, the Masked Trogon feeds on both fruits and insects.

Breeding

The Masked Trogon excavates a cavity nest in the soft wood of a rotting vertical tree trunk.