The Andean motmot or highland motmot is a colorful near-passerinebird found in the forests and woodlands from northern Colombia to western Bolivia. This bird can be also found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the west area of Costa Rica.
Distribution
The Andean motmot is resident in the Andes from Colombia south to Bolivia. In Colombia, occurs in all three major cordilleras, but in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia found only along the eastern side of the Andes. The southernmost reportedrecords are in the department of La Paz, northwestern Bolivia. The elevational distribution is 1500–3100 m in Colombia, 1000–2100 m in Ecuador, 1000–2400 m in Peru and 1600–1900 m in Bolivia.
Habitat
The Andean Motmot primarily occurs in humid montane forest, often near steams; it also occurs at forest edge and in second-growth forest. These birds often sit still, and in their dense forest habitat can be difficult to see, despite their size. Like most of the Coraciiformes, motmots nest in tunnels in banks, laying about three or four white eggs.
Appearance
The Andean Motmot is a typical motmot in general aspect: a large bird with a stout, black bill, and a long tail with a "racquet" tip. The body plumage over generally is green, with the distal portion of the upper surface of the tail blue. The center of the crown and a broad line through the eye are black; there also is a broad blue line bordering the crown, which is light blue on the fore part of the head but that becomes dark blue across the rear of the crown. There also is a short black streak on the center of the breast.
Similar Species
The Andean Motmot is the only species of motmot found in humid montane forests of the Andes, and so usually it is separated by elevation and habitat from other species of motmots. Otherwise it is closely similar to the Amazonian Motmot, but the Andean Motmot is larger; has purer green underparts, with very little or no tawny tones; has a blue vertical stripe or bar across the rear portion of the black "mask;" and the upper surface of the racquets usually are solid blue, with no green tones and with no black or dusky tip.
