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Momotus
Trinidad motmot (Momotus bahamensis)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
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.

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

References

1. Brisson, Mathurin Jacques (1760). Ornithologie, ou, Méthode Contenant la Division des Oiseaux en Ordres, Sections, Genres, Especes & leurs Variétés (in French and Latin). Paris: Jean-Baptiste Bauche. Vol. 1, p. 44, Vol. 4, p. 465.
2. Peters, James Lee, ed. (1945). Check-list of Birds of the World. Vol. 5. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 225.
3. ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2019). "Todies, motmots, bee-eaters, hoopoes, wood hoopoes, hornbills". World Bird List Version 9.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
4. Stiles, F.G. (2009). "A review of the genus Momotus (Coraciiformes: Momotidae) in northern South America and adjacent areas". Ornitología Colombiana. 8: 29–75.

Further reading

• Birds of Venezuela by Hilty, ISBN 0-7136-6418-5
• A guide to the birds of Costa Rica by Stiles and Skutch ISBN 0-8014-9600-4

v t e Genera of trogons, hornbills, kingfishers, woodpeckers and their extinct allies
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Infraclass: Neognathae Clade: Coraciimorphae Clade: Cavitaves
Cavitaves Leptosomiformes Leptosomidae Leptosomus †Plesiocathartes? †Waltonavis Eucavitaves Trogoniformes Trogonidae Apalharpactes Apaloderma †Eotrogon Euptilotis †Foshanornis Harpactes †Masillatrogon †Paratrogon Pharomachrus †Primotrogon Priotelus †Septentrogon Trogon Picocoraciae Bucerotiformes See below ↓ Picodynastornithes Coraciiformes See below ↓ Piciformes See below ↓
Bucerotiformes Bucerotiformes †Laurillardiidae Laurillardia †Messelirrisoridae Messelirrisor Upupi Phoeniculidae †Phirriculus Phoeniculus Rhinopomastus Upupidae Upupa Buceroti Bucorvidae Bucorvus †Euroceros Bucerotidae Aceros Anorrhinus Anthracoceros Berenicornis Buceros Bycanistes Ceratogymna Horizocerus Lophoceros Ocyceros Penelopides Rhabdotorrhinus Rhinoplax Rhyticeros Tockus
Coraciiformes incertae sedis †Cryptornis †Paracoracias †Quasisyndactylus †Eocoraciidae Eocoracias †Geranopteridae Geranopterus †Primobucconidae Primobucco Septencoracias Brachypteraciidae Atelornis Brachypteracias Geobiastes Uratelornis Coraciidae †Chehuenia Coracias Eurystomus †Miocoracias Meropidae Meropogon Merops Nyctyornis Alcedines Alcedinidae Alcedininae Alcedo Ceyx Corythornis Ispidina Cerylinae Ceryle Chloroceryle Megaceryle Halcyoninae Actenoides Caridonax Cittura Clytoceyx Dacelo Halcyon Lacedo Melidora Pelargopsis Syma Tanysiptera Todiramphus Momotidae Aspatha Baryphthengus Electron Eumomota Hylomanes Momotus †Protornis? Todidae †Palaeotodus Todus
Piciformes incertae sedis †"Homalopus" †Pristineanis †Gracilitarsidae Gracilitarsus Neanis †Sylphornithidae Oligosylphe Palaegithalus? Sylphornis Galbuli †Jacamatia Bucconidae Bucco Chelidoptera Hapaloptila Hypnelus Malacoptila Micromonacha Monasa Nonnula Notharchus Nystalus Galbulidae Brachygalba Galbalcyrhynchus Galbula Jacamaralcyon Jacamerops Pici incertae sedis †Rupelramphastoides †Miopiconidae Miopico †Picavidae Picavus Ramphastides Capitonidae Capito †Capitonides Eubucco Lybiidae Buccanodon Cryptolybia Gymnobucco Lybius Pogoniulus Pogonornis Stactolaema Trachyphonus Tricholaema Megalaimidae Caloramphus Psilopogon Ramphastidae Andigena Aulacorhynchus Pteroglossus Ramphastos Selenidera Semnornithidae Semnornis Picides Indicatoridae Indicator Melichneutes Melignomon Prodotiscus Picidae See below ↓
Picidae incertae sedis †Bitumenpicus †Breacopus †Palaeonerpes †Palaeopicus †Piculoides Jynginae Jynx Picumninae Picumnus Sasiinae Sasia Verreauxia Picinae †Australopicus †Palaeonerpes †Pliopicus Nesoctitini Nesoctites Hemicircini Hemicircus Picini Campethera Celeus Chrysophlegma Colaptes Dinopium Dryocopus Gecinulus Geocolaptes Micropternus Meiglyptes Mulleripicus Pardipicus Piculus Picus Campephilini Blythipicus Campephilus Chrysocolaptes Reinwardtipicus Melanerpini Chloropicus Dendrocopos Dendrocoptes Dendropicos Dryobates Leiopicus Leuconotopicus Melanerpes Picoides Sphyrapicus Veniliornis Xiphidiopicus Yungipicus

• Momotus
• Taxa named by Mathurin Jacques Brisson