Andean motmot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Andean motmot |
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Momotus
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| Species: |
aequatorialis
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The Andean motmot (scientific name: Momotus aequatorialis) is a very colorful bird. It is also sometimes called the highland motmot. You can find this amazing bird in the Andes mountains, from northern Colombia all the way to western Bolivia.
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About the Andean Motmot
Birds like the Andean motmot are part of a group called near-passerines. This means they are not "songbirds" but are related to them. The Andean motmot is one of several types of motmots.
Family Tree of Motmots
Scientists group animals based on how they are related. The Andean motmot is closely related to several other motmot species. These include the blue-capped motmot, whooping motmot, Trinidad motmot, Lesson's motmot, and Amazonian motmot. At one time, people thought they were all the same species!
The Andean motmot itself has two main types, or subspecies. These are Momotus aequatorialis aequatorialis and M. a. chlorolaemus.
What Does the Andean Motmot Look Like?
The Andean motmot is a large bird, usually about 46 to 48 centimeters (about 18 to 19 inches) long. It weighs between 143 and 202 grams (about 5 to 7 ounces).
Key Features
- Bill: It has a strong, black bill.
- Tail: Its tail is long and special. It has a "racquet" tip, which means the feathers at the end look like little tennis racquets.
- Body Color: Its back, wings, throat, chest, and belly are a bright green.
- Head: The top of its head is black. Around this black cap, it has a "diadem" (like a crown) of different shades of blue.
- Face: It has a black "mask" across its eyes, which is outlined in blue.
- Chest Mark: There's a black spot or streak right in the middle of its chest.
- Racquets: The racquet tips on its tail are a dark blue color.
Where Do Andean Motmots Live?
The Andean motmot lives in the Andes mountain range. You can find them in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and the La Paz Department in northwestern Bolivia.
Mountain Homes
In Colombia, they live in all three main mountain ranges. But in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, they are only found on the eastern side of the Andes.
They live at different heights depending on the country:
- In Colombia: From 1,500 to 3,100 meters (about 4,900 to 10,200 feet) high.
- In Ecuador: From 1,000 to 2,100 meters (about 3,300 to 6,900 feet) high.
- In Peru: From 1,000 to 2,400 meters (about 3,300 to 7,900 feet) high.
- In Bolivia: From 1,600 to 1,900 meters (about 5,200 to 6,200 feet) high.
Preferred Habitat
Andean motmots mostly live in humid montane forests. These are forests found in mountainous areas. They often like to be near streams. You can also spot them at the edges of forests or in secondary forests, which are forests that have grown back after being cut down.
How Do Andean Motmots Behave?
These birds have interesting habits, especially when it comes to finding food and raising their young.
What Do They Eat?
The Andean motmot eats both plants and animals, making it an omnivore. They mostly eat arthropods, which include insects and spiders. But they also enjoy eating fruit. There's even a record of one eating a small marsupial, which is a type of small mammal.
How Do They Make Nests?
Like other motmots, the Andean motmot is thought to nest in a long tunnel. They dig these tunnels into earth banks. However, scientists haven't fully described an Andean motmot's nest yet. A male bird ready for breeding was found in September in Colombia.
What Do They Sound Like?
The song of the Andean motmot is described as a simple "boop-oop". You can listen to an example of their song online here. It sounds a bit like the song of the rufous motmot.
Are Andean Motmots Safe?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) is an organization that checks on how safe animal species are. They have said that the Andean motmot is a species of "Least Concern". This means that their population is stable and they are not currently at risk of disappearing.
