- Momotus coeruliceps
Includes: Blue-diademed Motmot
Identification
38-48 cm
Green upperparts, green or rufous underparts depending on subspecies (very variable how dark), black central spot on upper breast, blue crown, 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).
Juvenile has reduced black on upper breast.
Distribution
Mexico to western half of Panama.
Taxonomy
There has been a recent split of a species known as Blue-crowned Motmot (Momotus momota) into five species:
- Blue-crowned Motmot (M. coeruliceps) -- from Mexico to around El Valle in central Panama (may be further split in the future)
- 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
Four subspecies accepted[1]:
- M. c. coeruliceps in northeast Mexico
- M. c. lessonii from tropical southern Mexico (Chiapas) to western Panama
- M. c. goldmani from tropical southeast Mexico (Veracruz) to Petén of northern Guatemala
- M. c. exiguus in tropical southern Mexico (Campeche and Yucatán)
The latter three subspecies are sometimes split as Lesson's Motmot or Blue-diademed Motmot.
Whooping Motmot, Amazonian Motmot, Highland Motmot and Trinidad Motmot have been included in this species in the past.
Habitat
Habits 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, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2012. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2012. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- 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
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Blue-crowned Motmot. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 5 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Blue-crowned_Motmot