From where I'm sitting the tail looks all black to me
Unless this is a brand new animal, this is definitely a Golden-Headed Quetzal. The zoo has held a quetzal for many years now and it has always been signed as Pharomachrus auriceps. Looking at my photo of the individual, the tail is all black with no white.
Looking at photos of White-Tipped Quetzals online, I think the confusion is coming from the lighting in the photo. I think the lighting and the shadows from the leaves are making the tail look like a mix.
There is always the possibility that I have no idea what I'm talking Vogelcommando is the expert in the room and, as mentioned, he has worked with several species. I won't complain if this turns out to be White-Tipped, and would like to know if the animal I photographed in 2014 is the same.
If we still end up undecided, I'll make sure to take note next time I visit.
Your photo is certainly of a golden headed. I don't know how you're seeing a black tail on this individual. Perhaps I need to get my vision checked. I am definitely seeing a white tail with a few black spots.
I'm no quetzal expert, but I have seen more than most (not more than Vogelcommando, though) as I also saw resplendent quetzals, and hope to once more now that I actually have a camera. I suppose one of us could always email the zoo- they'd probably forward it to a curator and we'd find out for sure.
From where I'm sitting the tail looks all black to me
Unless this is a brand new animal, this is definitely a Golden-Headed Quetzal. The zoo has held a quetzal for many years now and it has always been signed as Pharomachrus auriceps. Looking at my photo of the individual, the tail is all black with no white.
The bird on your photo from Dec. 27 2014 IS a Golden-headed and clearly has an black undertail however I still see in this new photo a mix of black and white which would make it a White-tipped.
And, by-the-way if a sign says a sutain animal belongs to a sutain species this will not always mean that this is right......
