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Momotus
File:Blue-crowned Motmot front 2.jpg
Blue-crowned Motmot (Momotus momota)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Momotidae
Genus: Momotus
Brisson, 1760
Species

M. mexicanus
M. momota

Momotus is a small genus of the motmots, a family of near passerine birds found in forest and woodland of the Neotropics. They have a colourful plumage, which is green on the back becoming blue on the flight feathers and the long tails. The barbs near the ends of the two longest central tail feathers fall off, leaving a length of bare shaft so that tails appear racket-shaped.

Momotus species, like other motmots, eat small prey such as insects and lizards, and will also take fruit. They nest in tunnels in banks, laying about four white eggs.

Taxonomy[]

Name Associated Subspecies Range
Blue-crowned Motmot, Momotus coeruliceps coeruliceps NE Mexico: Nuevo Leon & Tamaulipas
Blue-diademed Motmot, Momotus lessonii goldmani, exiguus, lessonii Middle America: Veracruz to W Panama (Chiriqui)
Amazonian Motmot, Momotus momota microstephanus, momota, ignobilis, simplex, cametensis, paraensis, marcgravianus, nattereri, pilcomajensis Amazon Basin
Silver-banded Motmot, Momotus argenticinctus argenticinctus W Ecuador and NW Peru, W of Andes
Trinidad Motmot, Momotus bahamensis bahamensis Trinidad & Tobago
Whooping Motmot, Momotus subrufescens subrufescens, spatha, osgoodi, conexus*, reconditus*, olivaresi* C & E Panama and NW South America (Chocó, Caribbean slope, Magdalena Valley)
* = There is a case for submerging conexus, reconditus, olivaresi into subrufescens.

Species[]

References[]


Eurasian Spoonbill This article is part of Project Bird Genera, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each genus, including made-up genera.



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