EARED TROGONS NEST IN RAMSEY CANYON

by Sheri Williamson

originally published in Trogon News, December 1991 [Huachuca Audubon Society]
reprinted in slightly edited form as "First nesting of Eared Trogon in the United States"
 in Winging It!, July 1992 [American Birding Association]

The long-awaited discovery of an Eared Trogon nest in the United States occurred in autumn in the Huachucas, not in summer in the Chiricahuas as had been predicted. The nest was located in the Coronado National Forest, upstream from The Nature Conservancy's Ramsey Canyon Preserve. Unfortunately, the nesting attempt failed when a winter storm dropped temperatures at the nest site to well below freezing. In spite of its tragic ending, this first documented nesting has allowed us to expand our knowledge of these rare and exquisite birds and may help us ensure the success of future attempts.

The trogons were originally discovered in upper Ramsey Canyon in early August of 1991 by Sue Perger, a staff member at Ramsey Canyon Preserve, and John Porter, a herpetologist from California conducting a long-term study of the canyon's rare rattlesnakes. The birds' extremely shy and wary nature was evident in this first encounter, but Sue was able to make a positive identification even though the birds would not allow a close approach. The discovery of a third bird in Ramsey Canyon brought the number of Eared Trogons known to be in Arizona at the time to five, though reports from other areas eventually raised the trogon tally to at least nine individuals.

Within a few days, word of the discovery had spread across the country, and the Hamburg and Comfort Springs trails in the Coronado National Forest were soon jammed with birders. Unfortunately, some either left their sense of ethics at home or lost it in the excitement; there were many reports of birders running up and down the canyon, shouting to each other and into walkie-talkies, leaving the trail to chase the birds, and playing taped calls repeatedly at full volume. This harassment may have caused the birds to move from the area where they were originally seen, within one mile of the Ramsey Canyon Preserve boundary, to the lower part of Pat Scott Canyon, more than a half_mile further upstream. Only after the crowds thinned out in mid-September did the trogons come back downstream to nest.

In late August and early September, one bird was observed entering a cavity in a large dead conifer in lower Pat Scott Canyon, but the site finally chosen was very close to the spot where the pair was originally discovered. The nest was in an old woodpecker hole 29 feet up in a dead maple. The female was videotaped entering the cavity on October 10, but it was not until October 12, when an observer reported the male carrying food into the cavity, that we began to believe that the birds were really nesting. Feeding was reported again on October 13, and I was able to hear the voices of two chicks in the nest the next day.

To protect the parent birds from disturbance and to gather data on their nesting behavior, volunteers were stationed at the nest site every day to take notes and monitor visitor activity. Unseasonably warm weather made conditions pleasant for all concerned, resulting in many hours of valuable notes on the birds' behavior at the nest. Though both parents were wary, the male showed extreme nervousness at the presence of up to a dozen admirers at a time and seemed particularly distressed when observers wearing white were present; at one point, the bird refused to enter the nest until an observer had removed and hidden his white shirt and cap. As a precaution, monitors were issued camouflage ponchos for themselves and for loan to inappropriately dressed visitors.

On October 26, the first storm of the winter season blew in, dropping temperatures drastically. The next day was cold, wet, windy, and thoroughly miserable. There was only one report of a parent bird at the nest, and that was very early in the day. When the adults were discovered together the next day a mile downstream from the nest, we feared the worst. The pair was never seen at the nest again, and on October 30 volunteers from the Bisbee Fire Department climbed the tree and recovered the bodies of the two ill-fated young trogons.

One of the chicks died of unknown causes several days before the other. Its nestmate appears to have survived until the storm, then succumbed to hypothermia. It was heartbreaking to see how healthy its tiny, well-preserved body looked: well-fleshed, full-bellied, and partly covered in a coat of black and yellow down. It was perhaps as much as two weeks from fledging at the time of death.

As the storm was not unusually early, the question arises: What caused this pair to begin nesting so late in the season? Observations in Mexico indicate that Eared Trogons normally nest in the rainy season. Egg-laying evidently occurs between mid-July and mid-August, and the young would presumably fledge before the arrival of the first winter storms. If this was a young pair in their first nesting season, as we believe it was, their inexperience might be responsible for some delay. The poor summer rains and unusually warm temperatures may also have played a role, but it is unlikely that these factors completely account for the lapse of five weeks between arrival and nesting.

Though we will never know for certain, the evidence strongly suggests that the intense human activity in the upper canyon between mid-August and Labor Day discouraged the birds from settling down to nest. But whether the nest failure was ultimately the result of the unethical and inconsiderate behavior of a few listers, the sheer numbers of people in the upper canyon, or factors beyond our control, it is sobering to consider the negative impact that birding and other non-consumptive outdoor recreation can have on wildlife of all kinds.

Many conservationists are concerned that apparent declines in populations of some species in "hotspot" areas may be due to birding pressure. Mere human presence is enough to disrupt feeding, mating, and care of young, and many birders and hikers have never been taught wildlife-watching etiquette. Common mistakes are talking too loud, moving too fast, and wearing brightly colored clothing (haven't we all been guilty of these a time or two?). "Taping in" or flushing a bird for a better look, very popular with some birders, wastes valuable energy reserves that may be critical for migration, territorial defense, or reproduction. Some people are simply unaware of the effects of their behavior, while others seem completely uncaring, as long as they "get" the bird.

Wild animals and plants are under enough pressure from habitat destruction, pollution, commercial exploitation, and other threats; those of us who care about their future should avoid adding to their problems. Unfortunately, our existing wildlife laws do little to protect non-endangered non-game species from the actions of a thoughtless minority. Until they do, those of us who really care must do all we can to ensure that Eared Trogons and other sensitive species are around for future generations to enjoy. Following these three simple steps can help you make a difference:

My thanks to the following for their assistance with the Eared Trogon project: U.S. Forest Service, Tucson Audubon Society, Jean Combs, Ken Combs, Pati Dalton, Tom Deecken, Carol de Waard, Dan Fischer, Tony Godfrey, Paul Hammerton, Dave Heck, Kira Hirsch, Jim Horton, Karen Horton, Dave Krueper, Dwight Lee, Neil Markowitz, Kyle Mitz, Allan Morgan, Beth Morgan, Gloria Morton, Howard Morton, Sue Perger, John Porter, Ruth Russell, Dale Stahlecker, Lynn Taylor, Rick Taylor, Sandy Upson, Robb Watkins, Tom Wood, Dale Zimmerman, Marian Zimmerman, and the many concerned birders who reported their observations.

[Author's Note: The current English name of this species is Eared Quetzal. For additional information on this nesting attempt, please see The Eared Trogon in Arizona: Behavior, Ecology, and Management of the "Northern Quetzal" (document will open in a new browser window)]

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