The Hispaniolan trogon, also known as cacos is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae. It
is endemic to Hispaniola in the Caribbean. It is one of the only two trogon species found in the Caribbean.
It is the national bird of Haiti.
Hispaniolan trogon
Hispaniolan trogon
The trogons and quetzals are birds in the order Trogoniformes which contains only one family, the Trogonidae. The family Trogonidae contains 46 species in seven genera. The fossil record of the trogons dates back 49 million years to the Early Eocene. They might constitute a member of the basal radiation of the order Coraciiformes and order Passeriformes or be closely related to mousebirds and owls. The word trogon is Greek for "nibbling" and refers to the fact that these birds gnaw holes in trees to make their nests.
Trogon
Fossil of Masillatrogon from Messel
The tendons of the foot, showing the arrangement with a reversed second toe. The plantar tendon on the front (flexor perforans digitorum) splits into two sections, and enters the front toes while the hind plantar (flexor longus hallucis) splits and enters the hind toes.
The Cuban trogon is one of two species restricted to the islands of the Caribbean