WatchList Species Account for Elegant Trogon (Trogon elegans)

Qualifies for the list as a Rare Yellow List Species

Photo: © Dan Vickers

The Elegant Trogon is a permanent resident in Central America and most of its range in Mexico is a migrant where it occurs in southeasternmost Arizona and adjoining New Mexico. Fairly common as a summer resident in its Arizona range, it may have colonized the area in the past 100 years. Overall the number of Elegant Trogons in Arizona increased slightly in the 1990s, but not significantly. Overzealous birders may disturb the bird during breeding and there are reports from Mexico that it is shot in small numbers by local people. Among the suggested measures to protect it in Arizona are the banning of use of tapes of its calls to attract it, restrict vehicular use in one nesting canyon, and to discourage people from approaching nest sites.