On the flag of which country is the quetzal bird depicted. What kind of bird is the national symbol of Guatemala.? What territories is inhabited by a multi-colored bird with long feathers

In the 20s of the 16th century, Central America was seized by the Spanish conquistadors and created here the possession (since 1560, the captaincy general) of Guatemala. Since 1532, the property had a special coat of arms. It depicted an equestrian knight (Catholic Saint Jacob) threatening with a sword as a symbol of Spanish domination, and below it was a local landscape with three volcanoes, one of which was smoking. The patriots perceived volcanoes as a symbol of an unconquered and freedom-loving people. In 1821, as a result of the uprising, the Spanish yoke was thrown off, and two years later, in the place of the captain-general, the independent state of the United Provinces of Central America was formed. Its coat of arms, which arose under the influence of the symbolism of the Great French Revolution, depicted an equilateral triangle, and in it a mountain range of 5 volcanoes, a Phrygian cap of freedom and a rainbow. Around it was the inscription "United Provinces of Central America". In 1824, some details of the image were changed, and the inscription was replaced with another: "Federal Republic of Central America".

The flag of the federation has become a banner of blue, white and blue horizontal stripes. Sometimes the coat of arms of the federation or its motto "God. Union. Freedom" was depicted on it. The white stripe represented Central America, and the blue stripes represented the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The flag and coat of arms of the federation later greatly influenced the emblems of Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and El Salvador that were part of it. As part of the federation, Guatemala had its own coat of arms since 1825.

Its central part repeated the federal coat of arms, but it was surrounded by the inscription "State of Guatemala and the Federation of Center", a quiver with arrows, two cornucopia, a bow and arrow, palm branches and a lictor bundle and a military trumpet lying on the ground.

After the federation disintegrated in 1838-1839, independent Guatemala adopted a modified coat of arms in 1843. There was no triangle on it, the disk with the image was placed on the shield, instead of the Phrygian cap, the sun appeared over the volcanoes, the bow and arrows, the cornucopia, the lictor bundle and the pipe along with the earth disappeared, an olive wreath appeared around, and the inscription became like this: "Guatemala in Central America. September 15, 1821 "(date of proclamation of independence from Spain). After the attempts of the Federation's supporters to revive it failed, the most reactionary landlord-clerical forces came to power in Guatemala, led by the bloody dictator R. Carrera (1844-1865), who was oriented towards Spain and the Papal State. In 1851, the federal flag that had been preserved for all these years was canceled. It was replaced by a flag, the right side of which remained blue-white-blue, while the left was a combination of Spanish and papal colors - red, white and yellow. At the same time, the coat of arms was changed. The last elements of the federal coat of arms - 5 volcanoes and a ring with an inscription - have disappeared from it. Their place was taken by 3 volcanoes, similar to the volcanoes of the colonial coat of arms, the sun is above them, and in the lower part of the shield there is a column with the date of proclamation of independence against the background of a new flag.

In 1858, Carrera changed the flag and coat of arms again. The flag began to consist of 7 horizontal stripes - two blue, two white, two red and yellow (as if the Spanish flag was placed inside the central stripe of the federal flag). The column with the inscription, the quiver with arrows disappeared from the coat of arms, the volcanoes acquired exactly the same appearance as on the colonial coat of arms, and the sun above them, transferred to the top of the shield, was replaced by 7 white vertical stripes on a blue field. The whole image was surrounded by 4 new flags, a wreath of laurel and oak branches and a ribbon with a Latin inscription (on the former coats of arms and flags, all inscriptions were Spanish): "The Republic of Guatemala under the greatest and excellent protection of God." After liberals - supporters of bourgeois reforms came to power and the revival of Central American unity in 1871, a completely new flag and coat of arms were adopted, existing with minor changes to the present day.

The flag reproduces the federal colors again, but now its stripes are arranged vertically, to distinguish from similar flags of other Central American countries. In Guatemala, the blue color of the flag denotes the boundless sky over the country, the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean washing it and symbolizes justice, loyalty and the pursuit of excellence, while the white color stands for purity of ideals and honesty. According to another version, blue symbolizes independence, while white symbolizes peace and hope.

There is no coat of arms on the national flag, but on the state one. The coat of arms arose on the basis of one of the decorative compositions that adorned the capital's palace, Casa Moneda, on the occasion of the liberals coming to power in 1871. The winners liked the emblem so much that they made it (with minor changes) the state emblem. The central emblem of the coat of arms is the national bird of Guatemala - the quetzal.

This is a large (up to 120 centimeters in length) bird from the trogon order with bright plumage, living in mountain forests. Long, like a peacock, tail feathers give it beauty. Quetzal is quite rare and protected. Even before the Spanish conquest, this bird was considered sacred by the local Indians. Quetzal feathers adorned images of gods, headdresses of rulers and nobles. There are many legends associated with quetzal.

According to one of them, at the moment of the decisive battle of the Maya and Quiche Indians with the conquistadors, his patron, Quetzal, hovered over the Indian leader Tekun Uman. When Tekun Uman died in battle, the quetzal fell dead on his bloody body, and supposedly since then all quetzals have red breasts.

Quetzal is not accidentally considered a symbol of freedom in Guatemala. It is very rarely possible to catch it alive, and in captivity, the quetzal, as a rule, dies. Quetzal is taken from the emblem that existed in the 1840s in the south-west of Guatemala, and then the republic of Los Altos, which was annexed to it (its blue-white-red flag depicted quetzal, a volcano and a tree).

Scroll with the Spanish inscription "Freedom. September 15, 1821" also symbolizes freedom and independence, since the date of liberation from Spanish rule is written on it. Crossed sabers and rifles with bayonets are reminiscent of the struggle for independence and the determination of the people of Guatemala to defend the freedom they have won.

Sometimes the coat of arms is depicted against the background of a blue oval or circle, sometimes just on a white background. Most often, the coat of arms itself is depicted on a blue background, and when placed on the flag - without it. The details of the coat of arms were slightly changed several times. In particular, earlier sabers and the ends of laurel branches were tied with ribbons in the colors of the national flag, and the head of the quetzal was turned to the right. The coat of arms, and with it the state flag, acquired its modern look in 1968.

"Heraldic Album", page 17

Sources: Magazine "Around the World" # 7/1994

The official symbol of Guatemala is a rectangular panel consisting of three equal vertical stripes. In the center - a white stripe, along the edges - blue. In the center of the white stripe, that is, in the center of the flag, is the emblem of Guatemala. There is no emblem on the civilian flag, it is only on the state one. The proportions of the flag are 5: 8.

Guatemala's emblem consists of an olive wreath, a scroll with the inscription "Libertad 15 de Septiembre de 1821" (Freedom September 15, 1821), a Quetzal bird, two crossed rifles and two crossed swords.

Symbolism

The color blue symbolizes legitimacy and justice. White is a symbol of purity and honesty. Olive branches are a symbol of victory and glory.

The Quetzal bird is a symbol of freedom.

September 15, 1821 is the date that Central America became independent from Spain. Rifles "Remington" - the readiness of the state to resort to force in the event that someone encroaches on its freedom.

The crossed swords are a symbol of honor, justice and independence.

History

The national flag of Guatemala was adopted by decree on December 26, 1997. For the first time, the vertical tricolor with the state emblem was introduced in 1971.

Uganda is a state in East Africa, a former colony of Great Britain. Its current state symbols were adopted when the country was freed from English influence. What does the modern flag of Uganda mean? What bird is depicted on it? Let's find this out.

Flag of uganda

State symbols of the country were adopted in 1962. The flag was designed by the Minister of Justice, Grace Ibingira. The flag of Uganda consists of six equal horizontal stripes. The first stripe is colored black, the second yellow, the third red. The other three stripes have the same colors and are arranged in the same order.

In the center of the flag there is a round white emblem, which depicts a bird - the symbol of the country. This is a crane made in black and gray shades. Its tail is red, and on its head is a crown of feathers in red and white. The bird is turned towards the shaft, and its left leg is raised.

In general, the national flag of Uganda expresses the idea of ​​uniting the country and belief in its successful development. The black stripe symbolizes the African black population of the country, the red is the color of the blood of all people and denotes the unity of all Ugandans. Yellow no longer refers to people, but to Africa itself. It symbolizes the scorching sun.

Crowned crane

Bird on the flag of Uganda - eastern It lives in the eastern region of Africa and is the most numerous species of its family. This is a very large bird up to one meter high and weighing up to four kilograms.

He has a very unusual appearance. The neck of the crane is bluish, the body is dark blue. It has huge white wings, bordered with blue and brown feathers. The bird's head is crowned with a tuft of fluffy yellow hairs. A red pouch hangs from his chin, like a turkey.

It was chosen as the symbol of Uganda for its grace and beauty. In the form of a national emblem, he was present on the banner of the British colony and on the uniform of the local military. On the modern flag, he is depicted walking, which speaks of the desire for development and the movement of the state forward.

Historical flags

From the 18th to the 20th century, the kingdom of Buganda existed on the territory of the country. In Africa, it was quite developed and influential. The British who arrived here could not stay away. They decided to establish control over the kingdom, turning it into their next colony. They quickly reached an agreement with the king, and at the same time converted him to the Christian faith. By the way, the British gave the country the name Uganda, which has reliably grown to it.

The flag of Buganda was a canvas of three vertical stripes: blue, white, blue. In the center of the white stripe was a traditional African shield with spears, under which a lying lion was depicted.

Later, the flag of Uganda became a blue canvas with a miniature located at the flagpole. On the right was a round emblem with a crowned crane. The image was more realistic. The background was not white, but yellowish, imitating an African landscape. A green bush was depicted behind the bird. The flag lasted from 1914 until March 1962.

Alternative to the flag

In March 1962, Great Britain returned full self-government to its colony, and on October 9, Uganda gained independence. For the new country, they first prepared a completely different draft of the flag. The version adopted in March even had a completely different gamut.

The first flag of the independent republic was divided into five vertical stripes. They were all different in size. Three wide stripes (green, blue, green) alternated with two thin yellow lines. In the center of the blue stripe, a silhouette of a yellow crane was depicted.

This flag was adopted when the Democratic Party ruled the country. She lost the elections in April. The new ruling establishment proposed a different design, which we see on the flag of Uganda today.

Quetzal or quetzal (Latin name "Pharomachrus mocinno") is a beautiful bird that lives in the foggy forests of Central America. She belongs to the trogon-like family, representatives of which are distributed throughout the world. By the way, most trogonids have bright plumage, but the quetzal stands out even among them - it is not without reason that it is considered the most beautiful bird in Latin America. Among other things, many myths and legends are associated with this bird, because quetzal was revered by the ancient Indians of Mesoamerica. But the bird received a scientific description only in 1832, it was made by the Mexican naturalist Pablo de la Llave. After that, the species was studied in detail by several more biologists. Among them was Alexander Scatch, who described the quetzal as the most amazing and beautiful bird he had ever seen.

But the Indians have known about such a magnificent bird for a very long time. Among the Mesoamerican peoples, quetzal was revered as the embodiment of the god Quetzalcoatl. The Aztecs and Maya considered the bird to be the patron saint of the air and a symbol of goodness, light, spring and plants. Indian rulers and nobles made headdresses from quetzal feathers, which symbolized the protection of Quetzalcoatl. At the same time, killing or causing any harm to a bird was a terrible sin. And in order to get feathers, they caught quetzal and pulled out part of its tail, apparently this action was not considered harm by the Indians. However, these birds were really revered, and when they saw, they tried in every possible way to butter up, bring treats or decorate the tree on which their nest is located. In some Mesoamerican languages, the word "quetzal" even meant "precious" or "sacred." This is why many quetzals lived in the rainforests of Central America before the arrival of the Spaniards in the New World. But when the conquistadors realized that this bird is the embodiment of one of the most powerful Indian deities, they began to hunt it. As a result, the number of quetzals decreased so much that at one time this species could completely disappear from the face of the earth. Now the situation is somewhat better, but the bird is still included in the Red Book of Central America.

Quetzal is a rather large bird. Males reach forty centimeters, and if you take into account the tail, then their length is even more than sixty centimeters. At the same time, the weight of an adult fluctuates around two hundred and fifty grams. Quetzal is the largest member of the trogoniform family. The feathers of the head, back, upper part of the neck and wings have a rich green hue. The chest and abdomen are colored crimson. And the tail feathers have a greenish-blue iridescent hue. At the same time, the two longest tail feathers bend into a graceful line. The male also has a small crest on his head. It is believed that the bird has such a rich plumage due to the fact that it has very thin and delicate skin, which is susceptible to various damage. By the way, many believe that the beauty of quetzal lies not only in its bright and shiny feathers, but also in the correct proportions of the body.

One legend is associated with the unusual color of the quetzal. In the sixteenth century, the Quiche people lived in southern Guatemala, ruled by the brave and strong leader Tekun Uman. When the Spaniards invaded his lands, he was not afraid to challenge them. True, the Indians had not seen white people before, and perhaps thought that they were somehow radically different from them. Tekun Uman entered the battle with the famous conquistador Pedro de Alvarado. The leader was well prepared for the battle - he was all decorated with feathers and dressed in ritual clothes, and next to him flew a quetzal, who was his nagual (guardian spirit). The Spaniard didn’t face the mud either - he proudly sat on a horse in sparkling new armor. Unfortunately, Tukun Uman thought that Alvarado was an unprecedented, huge creature, he took the conquistador and the horse as one. The Indian leader boldly rushed into battle, choosing a horse as his target. The animal was indeed killed, but Alvarado took advantage of the situation and pierced Tekun Uman's chest with a spear. When the bleeding leader fell to the ground, his nagual sat on his chest. He mourned the ruler for a long time, and his chest and stomach turned the color of blood, which is why the quetzal has such a contrasting plumage.

Today, the habitat of quetzal extends from southern Mexico to western Panama, covering parts of Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Birds prefer humid subtropical forests growing on mountain slopes. Quetzali are solitary birds, only for the time of mating do they find their company. By the way, they are monogamous, so the female and the male, although they do not live together, remain faithful to each other all their lives. Quetzali are very jealous of the protection of their territory. Nobody else can settle on the tropical meadow chosen by the male. Otherwise, he will drive out the uninvited guest with a fight. The mating period varies depending on the region. In Mexico it is March-April, in El Salvador it is May-June, and in Guatemala it is March-May. The female and the male quickly find each other, as they usually live in neighboring territories. After mating, the female arranges a nest in a secluded place, which is most often a hole she made in a rotten tree. There she lays two blue eggs. They are usually incubated by quetzali in turn. This period lasts only eighteen days. It is interesting that the birds, sitting on the nest, hang their tail from the hollow and put their backs in such a way that they resemble moss.

When small immature chicks emerge from the eggs, the parents continue to take care of them together. The male and female bring them food. Quetzals usually eat tropical fruits and berries, but they also eat insects, lizards, and small frogs. After twenty days, the chicks can fly and begin to lead a relatively independent lifestyle. It is noteworthy that by this time the female has almost completely dumped the care of the offspring on the shoulders of the father. So, the males take care of the chicks for the remaining period. True, this time does not last long - already at the age of one month the birds leave the parental nest. At the same time, quetzals fly rather poorly, so many threats await them in the jungle. Owls and eagles pose the greatest danger to adults. Even squirrels, long-tailed ferrets, emerald toucans and Jay Brown magpies can harm small quetzals.

However, humans are the biggest threat to these birds. As mentioned earlier, when the conquistadors realized that quetzal was of great value for the pagan cults of the Indians, they began to massively destroy birds. In addition, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, bright feathers became an object of trade. They were used to decorate various hats, which was considered the peak of fashion. Quetzal hunting was officially banned in the nineteenth century, when the disappearance of birds in Guatemala became very noticeable. In 1895, by a special presidential decree, for people who caused harm to the quetzal, a penalty was established in the form of a fine of six pesos and a month in prison. But by that time, the Indians living in the mountainous regions in deep poverty and long forgotten about old cults, had already established a well-established black market bird trade and preferred to risk breaking the law. The buyers were mainly wealthy Europeans, who were going to surprise their guests by flaunting an amazing and vibrant exotic bird.

But there was a catch with the content of quetzal in captivity. This bird does not tolerate space restrictions and if you put it in a cage, even the largest, it dies within a few days. Because of this feature, quetzal is considered a symbol of freedom in Central America. The bird played an especially significant role in this quality in Guatemala, for example. This country during its formation went through many wars and battles. And in all of them, quetzal meant the desired freedom. Today this bird is the national symbol of Guatemala, in addition, it is depicted on the coat of arms, and the state currency is also called quetzal. However, it is interesting that these birds still live in captivity. The Mexican Zoo was able not only to preserve the birds since 1992, but also to obtain offspring from them in 2004. Although this event is more the exception than the rule.

In addition to the fact that quetzal was exterminated for many centuries, now in Central America there is a large-scale deforestation, and therefore the habitat of these amazing birds is decreasing. For example, in Guatemala alone, out of a huge area of ​​more than a hundred thousand square kilometers, by the end of the last century, only twenty-five thousand square kilometers remained intact, and today this area does not exceed three thousand square kilometers. You can guess how this affected the quetzal population. It is for this reason that scientists tend to believe that these birds will soon disappear altogether in Guatemala. Now every country in which quetzal lives is trying to preserve the habitat of birds in one way or another. Many states impose restrictive laws, and national parks have been established in Costa Rica and Panama. And I must say that it was the organization of nature reserves and the development of ecotourism, which allows a huge number of people to learn about the problem, and gave the best results. Unfortunately, in the rest of Central America, quetzals are on the verge of extinction.