The breeding season is between March and June. Nests are usually located in old woodpecker or toucan holes. Because they do not have strong beaks and claws, they must find holes in trees with soft rotting wood. They may enlarge these holes for their use. Two eggs are usually laid and both parents share in raising the young.
Fruit is the main part of their diet, but they also eat insects, frogs, and lizards.
The Resplendent Quetzal , a species once revered by the Aztec, is now endangered throughout most of its range. Habitat destruction for cattle pasture, stash and burn agriculture and logging of rain forest trees is destroying large tracts of the cloud rain forest which is the birds' prime nesting area. They also fall prey to local people who hunt them illegally to trade and sell their skins and feathers. The specimen of the Resplendent Quetzal in the Diversity Section of our new exhibit is actually a carved wooden model created by Craig Yanek, an award winning artist in the museum's exhibit and graphics section. The museum's bird collection contains several skins and mounts of quetzals, but all are very old and not suitable for display.