As might be expected, the feathers play an important role. As the male tries to impress his female counterpart during mating season, he flies down from tall trees to show his elongated feathers behind him. In addition to their beautiful display, males also sing to the females.

The bird’s tail feathers have been culturally significant. By capturing Resplendent Quetzals, plucking their tail feathers, and then setting them free, people created headdresses for the Aztec ruling class.

As for the Mayan people, the Quetzal also had quasi-divine status. Their inability to domesticate the bird and get it to reproduce in captivity made it a powerful symbol of freedom. The rare feathers that fell or were plucked came to be a valuable form of currency, which made “Quetzals” the perfect unit for Guatemala’s currency, introduced in 1925.

Unfortunately, the Resplendent Quetzal population is decreasing due to loss of habitat from deforestation as well as poaching for exotic animal collectors and its feathers. The IUCN lists its population at around 50,000 and its status as “Near Threatened.” Thankfully, at reserves like El Jaguar in Nicaragua and Los Quetzales National Park in Costa Rica, the bird’s rainforest habitat is being protected.

While historically the Quetzals were known for refusing to breed in captivity, ZooMAT in Southern Mexico has partnered with the Dallas World Aquarium to hatch over more than a dozen eggs since 2003. The release of these birds into the cloud forests of El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve in the state of Chiapas might be one small step toward rebuilding the wild population.