Momotus is a small genus of the motmots, a family of 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.
The genus Momotus was introduced by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760 with the Amazonian motmot (Momotus momota) as the type species.
Species
The species complex, the blue-crowned motmot (Momotus momota), has been split into several species. The genus now contains seven species:
Image
Scientific name
Common name
Distribution
Momotus mexicanus
Russet-crowned motmot
Guatemala and Mexico
Momotus momota
Amazonian motmot
eastern Venezuela to north-eastern Argentina
Momotus coeruliceps
Blue-capped motmot
eastern Mexico
Momotus aequatorialis
Andean motmot
northern Colombia to western Bolivia
Momotus bahamensis
Trinidad motmot
Trinidad and Tobago
Momotus lessonii
Lesson's motmot
southern Mexico to western Panama
Momotus subrufescens
Whooping motmot
southern Panama to northwestern Peru
