Science: Rare Bird

What the eagle is to the U. S., the quetzal is to Guatemala. The quetzal (rhymes with pretzel) is a rare, lovely bird with bright green plumage, blood-red breast, fuzzy topknot, yard-long tail feathers. Quetzal is also the name of the Guatemalan money unit, and the bird’s graven image appears on the national seal, coins, stamps. The quetzal was venerated by the ancient Aztecs, Toltecs and Mayas as a colleague of the plumed serpent god, Quetzalcoatl (rhymes with pretzelcowatle), god of metallurgy, agriculture, wisdom, health. Only priests and nobles could wear quetzal plumes in their headdress.

Last week the first full-grown, live (but molting) quetzal ever to reach a northern city arrived in Manhattan in charge of its captor, voluble Explorer Victor Wolfgang von Hagen. Its destination: The Bronx for a rest, then St. Louis.

First white man to see, accurately describe a quetzal was Robert Owen of England in 1840. Plume-hunters nearly exterminated the birds, which are now protected by the Guatemalan Government. The first live, baby quetzals were taken out of Guatemala by Explorer von Hagen three years ago. Three, all of which have since died, went to The Bronx Zoo. Six went to London. When last heard from two of these were still living. Chicago also acquired two young quetzals last May.

The adult male quetzal flies slowly and gracefully, swirling its long tail plumes to dodge branches. It lives only in a few damp jungles or rain forests at altitudes of 5,000 ft. or more, nests in hollow trees perforated by woodpeckers. From the nests, which are hard to find, the young can be taken during the nesting season. Surprised in their sleep, adults can occasionally be caught by hand. Natives also captured live adults for von Hagen by stunning them in the open with slingshots. If confined after capture, the grown birds are likely to beat themselves to death, unless they are given an injection of sedatives, but they soon become very tame, eating out of hands and perching on fingers. Their favorite delicacy: avocados.