Mexican Bird of the Month: Eared Quetzal 

Euptilotis neoxenus

By Biól. Evelyn Martinez-Cuevas

Septiembre 02, 2026

In the pine-oak forests of the Sierra Madre Occidental lives a bird that appears to wear tiny tufts beside its ears: the Eared Quetzal, Euptilotis neoxenus, the only representative of its genus. It belongs to the order Trogoniformes and the family Trogonidae; however, phylogenetic studies place it as the sister group to the quetzals of the genus Pharomachrus, an evolutionary relationship that makes its story a small chapter in the larger history of New World trogons.

Its name combines Greek words related to “good feather” and “ear,” while neoxenus refers to the term “newcomer” or “stranger,” a name chosen by John Gould in 1838, when he described the species from a Mexican specimen that had not yet reached adulthood.

Its reproductive story unfolds in the highlands: the Eared Quetzal nests in tree cavities and, according to a study conducted in the Sierra Madre Occidental, primarily uses quaking aspens (Populus tremuloides). This is where the forest harbors its own dangers. Although both parents participate in incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks, competition for cavities, the falling of dead trees, and, worse still, irresponsible logging limit its breeding opportunities. This makes the species vulnerable and contributes to its classification as “Threatened” in our territory.

For a long time, Gould himself knew only the juvenile specimen and had to imagine the adult bird he had never seen. Today, we know that this once-unknown creature is a unique branch of the American trogon lineage, closely tied to the health of Mexico’s mountain forests.

Thus, among old trees, cavities, and mountains, and despite the dangers it faces, Euptilotis neoxenus represents the resilience and strength of Mexico’s lineage. Its presence also reminds us that every species is part of a delicate ecological network, in which the health of a population depends on the conservation of its entire habitat.

During this patriotic month, at the Vallarta Botanical Garden, we want to celebrate Mexico through its biodiversity: its landscapes and the variety of species that coexist within them. We invite you to learn about this and more stories about the beings that make the balance of our ecosystems possible, because loving our country also means protecting its forests, mountains, and inhabitants.

And take this with you: In every flight of the Eared Quetzal, in every ancient tree that offers it shelter, and in every forest we manage to conserve, an irreplaceable part of Mexico lives.