Momotus

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.

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
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

Further reading

• Birds of Venezuela by Hilty, Template:ISBN
• A guide to the birds of Costa Rica by Stiles and Skutch Template:ISBN