The head and upper plumage are an intense and glittering green, the lower breast, belly, and under tail coverts are of the richest crimson. The bill is bright yellow . The female Quetzal, as other birds, has a more subdued plumage than the male and lacks the long tail plume that gives rise to notion that male Quetzals in flight look like green lighting. This means that it is threatened with extinction that may be accelerated by illegal trade of the species. The Quetzal is also the national symbol of Guatemala, appearing on its flag and being the name of its monetary unit.
Quetzals are altitudinal migrants.
Quetzals morphology and geographical distribution also reflect their dependence on the Lauraceae. Subsequent events have since separated the two subspecies but not long enough for any significant speciation to occur. The plumage of the Quetzals seems to be a protective camouflage suited to rainy conditions. Often these trees are in the last stages of decay before toppling, this makes them much more vulnerable to stochastic events such as windstorms or other trees falling and knocking over the nest tree. The prime limiting factor associated with Quetzals is probably the availability of nest-trees.