Blue-capped motmot

The blue-capped motmot or blue-crowned motmot (Momotus coeruliceps) is a colorful near-passerine bird found in forests and woodlands of eastern Mexico. This species and the Lesson's Motmot, Whooping Motmot, Trinidad Motmot, Amazonian Motmot, and Andean Motmot were all considered conspecific. The IUCN uses blue-crowned as their identifier for this species, however it was also the name used for the prior species complex.

Blue-capped motmot
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Momotidae
Genus: Momotus
Species:
M. coeruliceps
Binomial name
Momotus coeruliceps
(Gould, 1836)

It is the only species in the former complex where the central crown is blue. There is a black eyemask. The call is a low owl-like ooo-doot. Blue-crowned motmots have a body length ranging from 38–43 cm (15-17 inches).[2] These birds often sit still, and in their dense forest habitat can be difficult to see, despite their size. They eat small prey such as insects and lizards, and will also regularly take fruit.

Like most of the Coraciiformes, motmots nest in tunnels in banks, laying about three or four white eggs.

References
  1. BirdLife International (2016). "Momotus coeruliceps". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T61634591A95172887. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T61634591A95172887.en.
  2. "Blue-capped Motmot - Appearance". Neotropical Birds Online. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
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