This YouTube video was produced by the American Bird Conservancy.
Considered sacred by several Mesoamerican civilizations, the Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) remains culturally significant to this day. The Resplendent Quetzal likely inspired Quetzalcoatl, the “plumed serpent” god of Mesoamerica. Legend has it that Quetzalcoatl helped create Earth. Rulers and nobility wore headdresses made from this quetzal’s shining green feathers, which symbolically connected them to the god.
In some Mesoamerican cultures, it was considered a crime to kill a quetzal, so the plumes were procured by capturing the bird, plucking its long tail feathers, and setting it free. In several Mesoamerican languages, the term for quetzal can also mean “precious” or “sacred.”
Also known as: Jewel Bird, Sacred Species
Learn more about the Resplendent Quetzal at https://abcbirds.org/birds/resplendent-quetzal/
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