Asian males may have red or pink on the head, rump, chest or tail. Females are considerably duller. Trogons have long, graduated tails that tend to be closed, creating a square-tipped appearance. These include the resplendent quetzal, which inhabits mountain forests from southern Mexico into western Panama. A sacred bird to the ancient Mayas and Aztecs, the quetzal is Guatemala's national bird.
Trogons have weak feet with two toes directed forward, two backward.
They are the only birds in which the two toes pointing backwards are the first and second digits. Forests and woodlands are the normal haunts of trogons, though some favor secondary growth or clearings. New World trogons range mostly from Argentina into Mexico, with some species inhabiting the Greater Antilles. The elegant trogon nests as far north as southern Arizona. With their short bills, trogons prey mostly on insects and other arthropods.