Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno)

This fascinating and colorful creature is a bird of the trogon family and can be found in Chiapas, Mexico and western Panama. The Resplendent Quetzal was sacred to Maya and Aztec people, whose “royalty and priests wore its feathers during ceremonies,” according to National Geographic.

Nevertheless, depending on the light, their feathers can shine in a variety of vibrant colors, making them one of the most beautiful birds in the world. Their known predators are the ornate hawk-eagle, golden eagle, and other hawks and owls as adults, emerald toucanets, brown jays, long-tailed weasels, squirrels, and the kinkajou as nestlings or eggs.