Cuban Trogon or Tocororo - National Bird of Cuba

The Cuban Trogon or Tocororo (Priotelus temnurus) is a species of bird in the Trogonidae family. It is endemic to the Caribbean island of Cuba, where it is also the national bird. Its natural habitats are dry forests, moist forests, and heavily degraded former forest. The Cuban Trogon has multiple names it can go by. In English speaking countries it is commonly known as the Cuban Trogon, while in Spanish speaking countries it is referred to as the Tocororo or Tocoloro. This local name was derived from its repeated call, toco-toco-tocoro-tocoro. Its scientific name is Priotelus temnurus which is very rarely used in referring to this bird. The Cuban Trogon is endemic to Cuba, for the beauty of the plumage and because it includes the colors of the Cuban flag, the tocororo was declared the national bird of Cuba.

Interesting & Amazing facts about Cuban Trogon:

1. It is a tropical bird, with resplendent feathers, measuring between 25 cm. and 28 cm. (10 to 11 inches).
2. The crown is deep blue, the wings are barred, the upper part of the chest grayish white and the lower part red.
3. The throat is white and the dorsal part of the body is light green becoming dark green towards the tail. The tail is scalloped.
4. The beak with its upper mandible dark and the lower one reddish.
5. Its eyes are reddish and the legs dark.
6. The sexes are similar although the female is smaller than the male and the red of her chest is paler.
7. It eats fruits and insects, lives in woodlands and thick woods with an abundance of trees and shrubbery.
8. It nests inside holes in trees and its eggs are white and it usually lays between three and four of them.
9. It is an endemic bird of Cuba and it is not found in any other part of the world.
10. The Cuban Trogons most common call is toco-toco-tocoro-tocoro, which is where its local name was derived from. It can also send out a short, distressed call that makes its location difficult to find.

Note: The names tocororo and tocoloro are onomatopoeic, similar to the voice of this bird. Its other name, guatiní was given by the Cuban Indians.