Malabar Trogon
Harpactes fasciatus
LCLeast Concern
- Family
- Trogons (Trogonidae)
- Order
- Trogoniformes
Overview
The Malabar trogon (Harpactes fasciatus) is a species of bird in the trogon family. It is found in the forests of India and Sri Lanka. In India, it is mainly found in the Western Ghats, hill forests of central India and in parts of the Eastern Ghats. They are insectivorous and although not migratory, may move seasonally in response to rain in hill forest regions. Like in other trogons, males and females vary in plumage.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Diet: Mainly insects.
How to identify it
- Male: black head and breast, white breast band, crimson belly
- Female: brownish head and orange-yellow belly
- Sits motionless in the mid-storey for long periods
Voice
Soft 'cue-cue-cue' calls.
Where to see it
- Thattekad, Kerala
- Sinharaja, Sri Lanka
Destination guides featuring this bird
Range and habitat
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Malabar trogon
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
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