The whooping motmot (Momotus subrufescens) is a colorful bird in the family Momotidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.
Taxonomy and systematics
The whooping motmot and the blue-capped (Momotus coeruleiceps), Trinidad (M. bahamensis), Amazonian (M. momota), Lesson's (M. lessonii), and Andean motmots (M. aequatorialis) were at one time all considered conspecific. They were split following a 2009 publication which detailed their differences. The whooping motmot has four recognized subspecies, the nominate Momotus subrufescens subrufescens, M. s. spatha, M. s. osgoodi, and M. s. agenticinctus.
Description
The whooping motmot's back and wings are olive-green and the underparts dull brown. It has a long, green to blue, tail that has extended feathers with racquet tips that are blue tipped with black. Its crown is black surrounded by a blue band, and it has a black eyemask bordered with turquoise. Twenty-seven specimens of the nominate whooping motmot weighed 75 to 124 g (2.6 to 4.4 oz).
