Rufous Motmot

About the Rufous Motmot

The rufous motmot (Baryphthengus martii) is a near-passerine bird in the family Momotidae. It is found from northeastern Honduras south to western Ecuador, northern Bolivia, and western Brazil. The rufous motmot and rufous-capped motmot (Baryphtengus ruficapillus) are the only two species in their genus, and have sometimes been treated as conspecific and apparently form a superspecies. The rufous motmot has two recognized subspecies, the nominate Baryphthengus martii martii and B. m. semirufus. In the early 20th century, B. m. martii was classified in its own genus, Urospatha. Later, the Nicaraguan and Costa Rican populations were considered to be a third subspecies, B. m. costaricensis, but it was decided they were part of B. m. semirufus. The binomial commemorates the German botanist and explorer Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius.

The rufous motmot is the second-largest member of its family. The male of the nominate subspecies is 42 to 47 cm (17 to 19 in) long and weighs 146 to 160 g (5.1 to 5.6 oz). The female weighs 153 to 173 g (5.4 to 6.1 oz). Male and female B. m. semirufus weigh 185 to 193 g (6.5 to 6.8 oz) and 170 to 208 g... Wikipedia →