23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Wildlife
Resplendent Quetzal in the Mist

Hidden within the misty cloud forests of Costa Rica, lives one of the world’s most beautiful birds — the Resplendent Quetzal. With shimmering emerald feathers, a vibrant crimson chest, and elegantly flowing tail plumes, it looks almost too magical to be real.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 11.2025
Date Uploaded: 12.2025
Photo Location: San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Camera: NIKON Z 9
Copyright: © Christine Dorrestein