Eared Quetzal (Euptilotis neoxenus), Cave Creek Canyon, Chiricahuas, Cochise County

This Eared Quetzal was photographed by Patricia Isaacson on 19 September 2020.

There is questioning on how many Quetzals there are currently in the Chiricahuas as well as if the imm. male is the same one as it has been molting. These are new pictures to possibly help ID if it is the same male seen in June, amd the same immature male that was recently in Rucker Canyon on the west side of the Chiricahuas. It is noted here that the original quetzal began moving around, disappearing from Herb Martyr, and being found in Pinery Canyon and Barfoot Park, before presumably settling in Rucker Canyon for a while. It is telling that this bird (and the female) was not discovered in Cave Creek Canyon until it had been absent in Rucker Canyon for quite a while.

19 September 2020, photo by Patricia Isaacson