- Momotus momota
Identification
38-48 cm
Green upperparts, green or rufous underparts depending on subspecies (very variable how dark), black central spot on upper breast, black central crown surrounded by blue band, black eyemask sometimes edged pale at the back.
Tail is green with blue lower tail with two longest feathers showing an area missing barbs followed by an area with barbs (rackets); the tip of these feathers is black in some subspecies.
Notice that the tail feathers are normal when growing, the barbs fall off shortly after, and it is therefore possible to see a bird of this species that is missing rackets (feathers may also break below the rackets).
The female is smaller and duller.
Juvenile has reduced black on upper breast.
Distribution
Northern half of South America.
Taxonomy
There has been a recent split of a species known as Blue-crowned Motmot (Momotus momota) into six species:
- Blue-capped Motmot (M. coeruliceps) -- from Mexico
- Lesson's Motmot (M. lessoni) -- from southern Mexico to western Panama
- Whooping Motmot (M. subrufescens) -- from around the Canal zone in Panama to northern Colombia and northern Venezuela as well as lowland western Ecuador, and Peru
- Trinidad Motmot (M. bahamensis) -- Trinidad and Tobago
- Amazonian Motmot (M. momota) -- Amazonian lowlands from Colombia, to The Guianas and south to Bolivia and Argentina
- Andean Motmot (M. aequatorialis) -- Highlands in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru
Subspecies
Clements recognizes 9 subspecies[1]:
- M. m. momota in tropical eastern Venezuela to the Guianas and northern Brazil
- M. m. microstephanus in Colombia and Ecuador (east of Andes) and adjacent northwest Brazil
- M. m. ignobilis in eastern Amazonian Peru and western Brazil
- M. m. nattereri at the tropical base of Andes of northeast Bolivia
- M. m. simplex from the Brazil/Peru border east to Rio Tapajós and south to northern Mato Grosso
- M. m. pilcomajensis from southern Bolivia to southern Brazil and northwest Argentina
- M. m. cametensis in north-central Brazil between Rio Tapajós and Rio Tocantins
- M. m. parensis in eastern Brazil (Rio Tocantins to Maranhão and Piauí)
- M. m. marcgravianus in northeastern Brazil (Paraíba to Alagoas)
Habitat
Habitats near water, rivers, streams, and builds its nest in hollows excavated on banks. Likes to perch on branches in the shadow, inside forest, in hedgerows, or in scrub.
Behaviour
Breeding
It nests in tunnels in a bank, 3-4 white eggs are laid.
Diet
The diet includes insects, lizards and fruit.
Vocalisation
A song consisting of two hoots.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- F. Gary Stiles 2009. A REVIEW OF THE GENUS MOMOTUS (CORACIIFORMES: MOMOTIDAE) IN NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA AND ADJACENT AREAS. Ornitología Colombiana No.8 (2009): 29-75. Subject of Birdforum discussion here
- Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2021. IOC World Bird List (v 11.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.11.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
- Birdforum member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Amazonian Motmot. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 18 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Amazonian_Motmot
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
