A national flag is representative of the country and the ideals it holds on to. Various symbols are used in the design of national flags including birds.
The resplendent quetzal appears not only in the national flag of Guatemala, but also in its currency and coat of arms with a display of its splashy green body. It is the national bird of Guatemala.
The Guatemalan currency gets its name from the bird-‘quetzal’. The resplendent quetzal was first described by the Mexican naturalist Pablo de La Llave in 1832. His description brought this green coloured bird to the spotlight. Soon it gained celebrity status.
The resplendent quetzal has been praised for its beauty across time and cultures. It has an iridescent green body with shades ranging from green gold to blue violet and a bright red breast. Its upper tail feather is longer than its entire body. Sounds like a heavenly bird. Doesn’t it? It is found from Chiapas in Mexico to western Panama. It spends most of its time just sitting on a perch seemingly staring into space. It can also turn its head around almost 180 degrees, just as an owl does.
Picture Credit : Google