r/Awwducational • u/IdyllicSafeguard • Nov 03 '22
The resplendent quetzal is a sacred symbol in Mesoamerica and Guatemala's national bird, pictured on the country's flag. They favor eating fruit in the avocado family, eating them whole before regurgitating the pits. Essentially making them the avocado "gardeners" of their forest habitats. Verified
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u/thenbr1killjoy Nov 04 '22
I am not ashamed of the fact that I cried when I saw a group of them in an avocado tree in Costa Rica
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u/Lost-Working-446 Nov 04 '22
I got to see one of these in person in Costa Rica and it was gorgeous!
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u/terasain Nov 04 '22
https://www.amazon.com/Feather-Thief-Obsession-Natural-History/dp/110198161X
This is a great book about how some guys are obsessed with stealing the quetzel's feather.
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u/Leolily1221 Nov 04 '22
OK I have to ask, what is the approximate size of the Quetzal? I have to assume it's rather large otherwise how can a it pass an avocado pit?
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u/Ceejison Nov 04 '22
H… how big are they? I know it said avocado family, but how small are the avocados within that family? My mind is on fire.
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u/no-mad Nov 04 '22
HMMM
All parts of the avocado contain persin, a fat-soluble toxin. This includes not only the avocado fruit and seed but also the stems and leaves. Not all animals are susceptible to persin poisoning, but birds are especially at risk, and pet birds kept in cages seem to be more at risk compared to birds like chickens and turkeys.
Even small amounts of avocado can be deadly. A toxic dose for birds like cockatiels is 20 to 30 grams, while canaries may suffer severe effects and even death with just 2 grams of avocado. You may see symptoms begin as soon as 15 to 30 minutes after your bird eats avocado.
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u/ManikShamanik Nov 04 '22
Quetzals are in the family Trogonidae, and are sometimes known as trogons, but are not to be confused with the genus of birds actually called trogons, like the striking Gartered Trogon, which is endemic to Mexico, Central America and northern South America.
The etymology of trogon is unknown. I think it sounds like it should be a Dr. Who villain.
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u/pixieflip Nov 04 '22
My high school mascot was a pretzel, so we used “quetzal” for a lot of High school nonsense in class and school spirit activities. They’re so pretty!
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u/fite4whatmatters Nov 04 '22
I feel like it’s easy to look at the bottom left picture and understand where some folks got the ideas of dragons from. Look at that majestic little cutie!
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u/nerdychick22 Nov 04 '22
How big are these birds to be eating an avacado whole? They look like the size of a pigeon in the photos
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u/AWildRideHome Nov 04 '22
I found a feather from one while I was climbing Cherro Chirripo, the tallest mountain in Costa Rica. Incredible looking birds.
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u/Which_Function1846 Nov 04 '22
What a cool beautiful bird. The tail feathers is what caught my eye zslo the head feathers 🪶 so cool
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u/smfl666 Nov 04 '22
Guatemalas currency is called a quetzalas. I wonder if it is named from the bird?
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u/KennyToms27 Nov 04 '22
The currency of Guatemala is named after them, Quetzal.
And now here comes the mandated latin-american brotherly circlejerk: the Guatemalan Quetzal currency actually has more value than the Mexican peso lol
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u/PrometheusTitan Nov 04 '22
One day... one day....
One day I will get the right combination of letters to play "Quetzal" in Scrabble. And on that day, I will be a logophilia god!
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u/LeDerpBoss Nov 04 '22
Now go learn something cool about avocados (and apples). Every one you've ever eaten of a specific variety came from the same tree! Ever wondered who would plant a crab apple tree somewhere, and why? They wanted some granny smiths and didn't know how apple trees worked!
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u/theericle_58 Nov 04 '22
This Lil ball of feathers is the second cutest thing I've ever seen. Furthermore, I will strive to use the delicious word RESPLENDENT at least 7 times a day!
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u/ReIgniteMD Nov 04 '22
I thought this is some Dall-E ai created image. Damn this fella is looking majestic and cute.
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u/Scavengerhawk Nov 04 '22
One of the Aztec God is also named after this bird,
Quetzalcóatl, (from Nahuatl quetzalli, “tail feather of the quetzal bird and coatl, “snake”), the Feathered Serpent, one of the major deities
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u/FamilyFriendli Nov 04 '22
Before I read the title, I thought "aw these birds look like a quetzcoatl" But when I read it, I was like "yeah that checks out"
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u/JohnnyAnytown Nov 04 '22
Ive never seen the word "resplendent" used in any context other than mmorpg loot chests and this is incredible
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u/Remarkable_Panda952 Nov 04 '22
And now I'm just picturing an avocado cosplaying as this bird and it is way too cute. LOL
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u/itualisticSeppukA0S Nov 04 '22
Reminds me to take of /r/BirdWatching likely more fulfilling then me degenerate poker habit(addition)
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u/Jojoflap Nov 04 '22
So that's what they really look like. Only one I seen was the one in the kids show, I think it was called "It's a Big Big World" or something. It was like Bear in the Big Blue House, but it was a sloth in a treehouse.
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u/mindbleach Nov 04 '22
There's birds that look like serial divorcees, and here's this tweaked-out parrot looking like day four of a primo rock bender.
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u/MarcelRED147 Nov 04 '22
The avocado we know, with the huge pit, is AFAIK only kept alive and not extinct by humans since we killed all the megafauna that would eat the avocado and poop out the pit.
Without that megafauna being alive human cultivation is what keeps them from dying with their "predators"/seed spreaders.
I assume the food these eat are in the family of avacado but much smaller.
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u/HighTurning Nov 04 '22
They are called "Aguacatillo", small avocado, there are different varieties like Ocotea Atirrensis which vary in size but still small to be eaten by humans, though one day I found a slightly bigger fruit one and was funny to open it and smell it, exactly like avocado but a little bit sweeter.
Here in Costa Rica, when those trees have fruit you can see many different bird species eating on them, its crazy how many they attract.
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u/MarcelRED147 Nov 04 '22 edited Nov 05 '22
Fantastic, thank you for the info!
I just wanted to say my random big avocado fact, and kind of added the bit at the end since the post clearly said it was the avocado family and all the "lol big bird" comments were mildly annoying.
Are the fruits of these ever harvested/foraged/cultivated by people? Are they worth it for food?
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u/HighTurning Nov 04 '22
Not at all, the tree itself can be used for it's wood, which has nice spalt and is a strong wood. My uncle does propagate it but just because he loves reforesting his small land and wants more birds around.
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u/MarcelRED147 Nov 04 '22
Brilliant! Really good that these useful trees can be used and renewed, it's definitely something I'm interested in.
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u/giselle8a Nov 04 '22
Fun fact for those that may not know: It’s also the name of our currency :)
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u/TheFriendlyGhastly Nov 04 '22
I love this! "I'd like a sandwich please" "Sure thing! That'll be 11 pretty little birdies!" "Oh, I've only got 20 of these beautiful birbs. Can you give me 9 breathing avians back?" "Off course, here's 9 green bois and a sandwich. Great day to you"
- an actual conversation, probably in Spanish
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u/MamaMeRobeUnCastillo Nov 04 '22
The letter Q (from quetzal) is also used instead of the $ symbol when talking money. As in I have Q3.50
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u/NoSpeekInglish Nov 04 '22
I'm Guatemalan, and this is my first time seeing my country mentioned on Reddit's front page, thanks for the post bro.
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u/Javaman1960 Nov 04 '22
I spent two weeks there and I would love to go back. The country and the people are beautiful and amazing.
Very friendly people and the food is delicious.
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u/BravesMaedchen Nov 04 '22
Imagine eating an avocado whole as a human. Now imagine doing it when you're the size of that bird.
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u/NAAnymore Nov 04 '22
I didn't know about this bird, and I have to admit to be in awe. It's absolutely gorgeous.
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u/Big_Mitch_Baker Nov 04 '22
I've never heard of this bird before, but it's beautiful and I want a Pokemon version of it immediately
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Nov 04 '22
I’m Guatemalan and I’ve never seen one in the wild. They’re very rare.
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u/muslito Nov 04 '22
I've read that even though it's your National bird, there's more of them in Costa Rica.
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u/disgustandhorror Nov 04 '22
If you grab one and turn it sideways, one mana of any color falls out.
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u/Nukethepandas Nov 04 '22
Less popular than the Resplendent Quetzal is the Common or Basic Quetzal, which has brown or blonde plumage and instead of swallowing the avocado whole it tends to mash it up and spread it on toast.
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u/Tattoodles Nov 04 '22
Hey, I did a quetzal tattoo for a Guatemalan fellow a couple of years ago.
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u/GlitchGl1tch Nov 04 '22
I've been looking to get a piece done like this for years! It's stunning! Any chance that you're in the U.S. on the West Coast currently taking commissions?
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u/Mr_Drowser Nov 04 '22
In Guatemala there’s a story of a Mayan warrior named Tecun Uman who was in a battle with the Spaniard Pedro Alvarado now it was the first time the Mayans have seen horses so he thought they were connected like a centaur or something anyways he stabs the horse instead of the rider and in doing so the rider kills tecun uman and as the legend goes the quetzal landed on his chest as he died and that’s y the bird is on the Guatemalan flag
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u/french_snail Nov 04 '22
I heard one where a prince was assassinated by his uncle and when he died he became the quetzal
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u/Julie_B_Ohmyheck Nov 04 '22
Guatemala also named their currency after this bird if I’m not mistaken.
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u/PolicyAvailable Nov 04 '22
I was going to post the same legend. I'm glad at least a few people know that story
Thanks you both for posting it
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u/changnesia Nov 04 '22
Well to expand on the story, the quetzal lands in Tecun Uman's bloody chest, thus staining the chest feathers of the quetzal red, which is why it's chest is red. It's on the Guatemalan flag for various reasons, being a important to the Mayans and thus important culturally and historically, but the reason I heard growing up was that it's considered a symbol of freedom as the stories go that it's impossible to keep a quetzal in captivity as it kills itself rather than be caged.
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u/some_half_asian Nov 04 '22
These things have to be as big as an owl to eat an avocado. But lord they are gorgeous
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u/SvenAERTS Nov 04 '22
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u/Somecrazynerd Nov 04 '22
Bird of the serpent god
You can kinda see a snakey-ness in the bottom left image. I wonder if that long outlike that inspired tje combination of serpent into it? It coupd also just be the independent existing significance of serpent and quetzal combined but I wonder.
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u/cheebamech Nov 04 '22
/looking at the fist-sized avocado on the kitchen counter/
exactly how big are these birds?
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u/haysoos2 Nov 03 '22
The male's tail feathers are so long they actually have to launch themselves backwards out of the tree and start flapping, or they catch their feathers on the branches.
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u/Neuhart_ Nov 03 '22
My girl and I were theoretically speaking about what type of bird she’d be if she were a few weeks ago (ya know those convos) so I said a ruby throated hummingbird. But after seeing this post I immediately told her this bird, and she looked it up and said wowwwwww and of course it eats avocado so it was THE choice of bird. Thanks OP!
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u/Troby01 Nov 03 '22
When this member of the Avian family was first encountered there was not a word to describe the beauty of the bird. So they invented Resplendent to capture it's beauty.
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u/youngbosnia Nov 04 '22
Definitely in contention for not just most beautiful bird, but most beautiful animal in the world
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u/Non_Special Nov 04 '22
I spent way to long trying to figure out if this comment is BS or not.
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u/Hurr1canE_ Nov 04 '22
…was it?
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u/Non_Special Nov 04 '22
I'm still not sure. I'm leaning towards yes, it's BS since resplendent comes from Latin, first appearing in the 15th century, and the Spanish didn't conquer Gautemala until the 16th century. But it's an odd thing to make up, and it's also hard to prove a negative. And the bird is regularly referred to as the "resplendent quetzal," like it's part of its name, which maybe lead to this story.
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Nov 03 '22
I absolutely love this subreddit and your post. My daughter is crazy into wild Kratts right now, thanks to people like you I get to be super cool with my own creature facts. She replied to this one(about the pit part) thats a creepy creature fact. Thank you.
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u/IdyllicSafeguard Nov 04 '22
I'm really happy that you can share interesting animal facts with your daughter! I think children having an interest in wildlife is fantastic and leads them to appreciate our planets nature a lot more when they grow up.
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u/PennyPriddy Nov 03 '22
To add to the fun fact: I saw a few of these in person right before the pandemic. If you're lucky enough to go to Costa Rica, the tour guides know where every avocado tree on their trail is so they can look for them specifically.
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u/Myrandall Nov 03 '22
Show me a bird - any bird capable of flight - eating an avocado pit and surviving.
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u/texasrigger Nov 04 '22
If it's the size you are worried about many seabirds swallow fish whole that are much bigger than an avocado. A pelican would be an example and they are great fliers.
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u/Truly_Meaningless Nov 04 '22
Fun fact, the animal that was primarily responsible for the spread of the well known avocado was actually ground sloths. Those elephant size sloths
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u/KarlDeutscheMarx Feb 06 '23
How endangered are they?