Momotus
| Momotus | |
|---|---|
| File:Blue-crowned Motmot front 2.jpg | |
| Trinidad motmot (Momotus bahamensis) | |
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Coraciiformes |
| Family: | Momotidae |
| Genus: | Momotus Brisson, 1760 |
| Type species | |
| Ramphastos momota Linnaeus, 1766
| |
| Species | |
|
see text | |
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.
The genus Momotus was introduced by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760 with the Amazonian motmot (Momotus momota) as the type species.[1][2]
Species
[edit | edit source]The species complex, the blue-crowned motmot (Momotus momota), has been split into several species.[3][4] The genus now contains seven species:[3]
| Image | Scientific name | Common name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Russet-crowned Mot-mot - Mexico S4E8487.jpg | Momotus mexicanus | Russet-crowned motmot | Guatemala and Mexico |
| File:Blue-crowned Motmot (24857308040) (cropped).jpg | Momotus momota | Amazonian motmot | eastern Venezuela to north-eastern Argentina |
| File:Blue-crowned Motmot (6900676752).jpg | Momotus coeruliceps | Blue-capped motmot | eastern Mexico |
| File:Momotus aequatorialis - on the tree.jpg | Momotus aequatorialis | Andean motmot | northern Colombia to western Bolivia |
| File:Blue-crowned Motmot back fir0002.jpg | Momotus bahamensis | Trinidad motmot | Trinidad and Tobago |
| File:Blue-crowned Motmot (16376009632).jpg | Momotus lessonii | Lesson's motmot | southern Mexico to western Panama |
| File:Momotus subrufescens, Gamboa, Panama.jpg | Momotus subrufescens | Whooping motmot | southern Panama to northwestern Peru |
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References
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Further reading
[edit | edit source]- Birds of Venezuela by Hilty, Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- A guide to the birds of Costa Rica by Stiles and Skutch Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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