Neotropical Birding Tours » Blue-crowned Motmot http://neotropicbirding.com Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:21:04 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 The Blue-crowned Motmot complex could be split into five species http://neotropicbirding.com/the-blue-crowned-motmot-complex-could-be-split-into-five-species/ http://neotropicbirding.com/the-blue-crowned-motmot-complex-could-be-split-into-five-species/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:52:51 +0000 admin http://neotropicbirding.com/blog/?p=291 A recent work published by F. Gary Stiles in the Journal of Colombian Ornithology (Revista Ornitología Colombiana) presents evidence that the group of the Blue-crowned Motmot (Momotus momota) could be composed of at least 5 species based on differences in plumage patterns, biometrics, vocalizations, supplemented by information on geographic distributions and ecology. Some of the groups such as the Highland Motmot (M. m. aequatorialis), had previously attained the status of species, but were ultimately grouped as a subspecies of M. momota by the South American Classification Committee (SACC prop. 117) due to lack of evidence supporting this status. This new proposal by Stiles has prompted a re-examination of this topic by the SACC (prop. 412). This controversy demonstrates the great need for increased research on many groups of Neotropical birds, especially at genetic level.

Without endorsing either side of this controversy, I wanted to present some images and recordings of the songs of the candidate species. I would like to thank all of the people and institutions that allowed me to use their photographs and sound recordings for this post.

For a detailed discussion on plumage characteristics of each group I suggest consulting Appendix 2 of the original publication located here.

Click on the play button to listen to the songs.

 

Blue-diademed Motmot (Momotus momota lessonni)

Including the following subspecies: M. m. goldmani and coeruliceps

Distribution: from extreme southern Mexico to southwestern Panama.

Blue-diademed Motmot – Costa Rica

Link to the original file.

M lessoni gwashley

Blue-diademed Motmot © Gary Ashley

 

Highland (Andean) Motmot (Momotus momota aequatorialis)

Inlcuding: M. m. chlorolaemus

Distribution: Andes from NC Colombia to NE Bolivia.

Highland (Andean) Motmot – Colombia

Link to the original file.

Highland Motmot (Momotus aequatorialis)

Highland Motmot © David Cook 

 

Whooping Motmot (Momotus momota subrufescens)

Including the following subspecies: M. m.osgoodi, argenticinctus and spatha.

Distribution: C Panama to NC Venezuela and the Magdalena valley of Colombia; SE Ecuador and extreme NW Peru.

M. m. argenticinctus – Ecuador

Link to the original file.

M m argenticinctus Michel Gutierrez

M. m. argenticinctus © Michel Gutiérrez

 

Trinidad Motmot (Momotus momota bahamensis)

Distribution: Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad Motmot – Trinidad and Tobago

Link to the original file.

M bahamensis Stephen Turner

Trinidad Motmot © Stephen Turner

 

Amazonia Motmot (Momotus momota momota)

Including: M. m. microstephanus and several others outside the scope of the study.

Distribution: Venezuela (S of the Orinoco) and the Guianas S through the entire Amazon basin to extreme N Argentina and Paraguay.

M. m. microstephanus – Ecuador

Link to the original file.

Blue-crowned Motmot Joaquin Mello

Amazonian Motmot from Pantanal, Brazil © Joaquin Mello

 

 

Sound files from Xeno-Canto and the Macaulay Library.

Photos under Creative Commons License.

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