I mentioned this amazing bird in one of my previous blogs, but don’t think I did it justice. Some keen twitchers make dozens and dozens of trips to Costa Rica, spending many thousands of pounds, in search of this elusive wonder.

Belonging to the ‘trogan’ family, and considered sacred by Mesoamerican civilizations, the male Resplendent Quetzal (to give him his full title) has a shimmering plumage of metallic blues, greens, and reds, a crest of golden-green feathers and – during breeding season – elongated upper tail feathers that form a long, flowing train. It was thought to be the spirit guide of the Mayan prince and hero Tecún Umán, who fought against the Spanish conquest. According to legend, the prince was killed as he fought the conquistador Pedro de Alvarado and, as he lay dying, a bird flew down and landed on his chest, dipping its feathers in his blood. This is supposedly how the quetzal acquired its red breast and belly feathers.

It is truly stunning; and we were so so lucky to see it up close on our trip. I’ve posted below a few of my (literally hundreds of) snaps of a mating pair building their nest.