Trogoniformes

Trogoniformes [trō‚gän·ə′fȯr‚mēz]

(vertebrate zoology)

An order of brightly colored, slow-moving birds characterized by a unique foot structure with the first and second toes directed backward.

---

Trogoniformes 

an order of birds. The body measures 23–34 cm in length. The wings are short and rounded, and the tail is long. The legs are short and weak, with two toes facing forward and two facing backward. The bill is broad. Around the eye is a featherless, brightly colored ring. The plumage, which is not dense, is usually green on the back, with a metallic sheen; else where it has contrasting combinations of red, blue, yellow, and other colors. There are 34 species that maintain a settled mode of life in the tropical forests of Asia, Africa, and America. The birds nest in tree hollows or in the empty spaces of termitaria. The male and female both brood. They feed by jumping off branches and seizing insects in flight or on leaves. They also consume small fruits, slugs, frogs, and lizards.