Why it represents the country
The Cuban trogon, known in Cuba as the tocororo, is the country's national bird by tradition rather than by a specific law. It earned that place for two reasons: it lives nowhere else in the world, and its feathers carry the same colors as the national flag, red, white and blue.
The bird's crown is a shining blue, its throat and chest are white, and its belly is bright red. Seen together, these patches of color make it easy to understand why Cubans see the bird as a living reflection of their flag.
The name tocororo imitates its call, a repeated toco-toco-tocoro-tocoro that carries through the forest. Many people hear the bird long before they see it. Because it is found only in Cuba, the tocororo is also a reminder of how many unique plants and animals live on the island.
About the animal
The Cuban trogon belongs to the trogon family, the same group as the resplendent quetzal of Central America. It is about 23 to 28 centimeters long and weighs roughly 50 to 75 grams. Besides its red, white and blue, it has a green back and a long tail in which the feathers are different lengths, like a set of steps. Like all trogons, it has short, weak legs and an unusual foot, with two toes pointing forward and two pointing back, and it rarely walks or hops along branches. Trogons also have thin, delicate skin and soft, loosely attached feathers.
Tocororos live in many kinds of forest, both old and regrowing, and also in shrublands. They prefer humid, shady places. They are found across the island, from lowland woods to the mountains, and a slightly different form lives on the Isla de la Juventud, the large island off Cuba's southwest coast. Much of the time they perch quietly in the shade, where their bright colors can be surprisingly hard to spot.
Like other trogons, the tocororo often sits still on a branch in the middle levels of the forest, then flies out to snatch food. It eats insects, fruit and buds, and sometimes small lizards.
It does not build a nest of sticks. Instead it uses a natural hole in a tree or an old woodpecker hole. The female lays three or four eggs, which hatch after about 18 days, and the chicks leave the nest about 21 days after hatching. Until then they stay out of sight inside the dark tree hole, where they are fed and kept warm.
Conservation
The Cuban trogon is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is still widespread in Cuba's forests, although its total population has not been measured and is thought to be decreasing.
Because it nests in tree holes, the tocororo needs forests with old and dead trees, and with woodpeckers that dig new cavities. Cutting forests and removing dead trees reduces the places where it can raise its young. The tocororo also depends on woodpeckers, such as the Cuban green woodpecker, another bird found only in Cuba, to make the holes it later uses.
Cuba protects many of its forests in national parks and reserves, which also shelter many other species found only on the island. Keeping these forests healthy is the best way to make sure the national bird stays common.
Fun facts
- The name tocororo imitates the bird's call, toco-toco-tocoro-tocoro.
- The Cuban trogon lives nowhere in the world except Cuba.
- Tocororos do not build nests but raise their young in tree holes, often old woodpecker holes.
Other national symbols of Cuba
- National flower
White ginger lily (mariposa) Hedychium coronarium National symbol
Cuba's national flower, the white mariposa, was chosen by a commission of naturalists in 1936 for a garden of national flowers in Argentina.
Frequently asked questions
What is the national bird of Cuba?
The national bird of Cuba is the Cuban trogon (a widely recognized national symbol, not set by law). Known in Cuba as the tocororo, it is a small bird of the trogon family that lives only in Cuba, and its red, white and blue feathers echo the colors of the Cuban flag.
Which country has the Cuban trogon as its national bird?
The Cuban trogon is the national bird of Cuba. The Cuban trogon is also known as tocororo.
Why is the Cuban trogon the national bird of Cuba?
The Cuban trogon, or tocororo, holds the title by tradition rather than by a specific law. It earned that place for two reasons: it lives nowhere else in the world, and its feathers carry the same colors as the national flag, red, white and blue.
Is the Cuban trogon endangered?
The Cuban trogon is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is still widespread in Cuba's forests, although its total population has not been measured and is thought to be decreasing.
Where does the Cuban trogon live?
Forests, woodland and shrubland across Cuba, especially in shady, humid spots.
Sources
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Priotelus temnurus (assessment 2018).
- EcuRed – Hedychium coronarium (Flor nacional de Cuba).
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
