Ward's Trogon
Harpactes wardi
红腹咬鹃
Introduction
A species of bird in the family Trogonidae. Its range includes the northeastern Indian subcontinent stretching eastwards to Southeast Asia. Found in Bhutan, India, Tibet, and Myanmar, with a disjunct population in northern Vietnam, though no recent records exist there. Inhabits temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. Threatened by habitat loss.
Description
A medium-sized trogon measuring 35-38 cm in length and weighing 115-120 g. The male has pink-red breast, belly, undertail, and forehead, while the chest, back, wings, and uppertail are dark slate with a maroon wash. The bill tip is deep red, and both sexes possess a blue eye ring. The female resembles the male but with yellow replacing the red plumage and dark olive coloration in place of slate. The female's beak tip is yellow.
Distribution & Habitat
Ranges from Bhutan and Arunachal in northeastern India through northern and eastern Myanmar to southern China in western Yunnan. A disjunct population was reported at Fan Si Pan in Vietnam in 1939 but lacks modern records. Primarily montane, occurring at elevations of 1,500-3,200 m, occasionally descending to 300 m. Shows evidence of altitudinal movement to lower elevations in winter. Inhabits subtropical hill forest dominated by Quercus and Castanopsis and temperate broadleaf evergreen forest, favoring the understory, undergrowth, and bamboo stands. Generally uncommon but locally common in some locations.
Behavior & Ecology
Feeds on insects including moths, stick-insects, grasshoppers, and bugs, as well as large seeds. Breeding condition has been recorded in March and April, though nests have not been found or described. Very little is known about the species' behavior.
Conservation
The species was treated as vulnerable by the IUCN in the 1990s. Following the discovery of secure populations in Bhutan, it is presently listed as near-threatened. Habitat loss remains the primary threat to its survival.
Culture
The common name and Latin binomial commemorate the English botanist and explorer Francis Kingdon-Ward.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Trogoniformes
- Family
- Trogonidae
- Genus
- Harpactes
- eBird Code
- wartro1
Distribution
mountains of southern China (Yunnan), eastern Bhutan, northern Myanmar, and northwestern Vietnam
Data Sources
CBR Notes: IUCN红色名录等级由NT降为LC
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.