List of motmots

Motmots are birds in the family Momotidae in the order Coraciiformes. There are currently 14 extant species of motmots recognised by the International Ornithologists' Union.[1]

Conventions

IUCN Red List categories
Conservation status
 EX Extinct (0 species)
 EW Extinct in the wild (0 species)
 CR Critically Endangered (0 species)
 EN Endangered (0 species)
 VU Vulnerable (1 species)
 NT Near threatened (0 species)
 LC Least concern (13 species)

Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the motmot's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IOC World Bird List for that species unless otherwise noted. Population estimates are of the number of mature individuals and are taken from the IUCN Red List.

This list follows the taxonomic treatment (designation and order of species) and nomenclature (scientific and common names) of version 13.2 of the IOC World Bird List.[1] Where the taxonomy proposed by the IOC World Bird List conflicts with the taxonomy followed by the IUCN[a] or the 2023 edition of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World,[3] the disagreement is noted next to the species's common name (for nomenclatural disagreements) or scientific name (for taxonomic disagreements).

Classification

The International Ornithologists' Union (IOU) recognises 14 species of motmots in six genera.[1] This list does not include hybrid species, extinct prehistoric species, or putative species not yet accepted by the IOU.

Family Momotidae

Motmots

Genus HylomanesLichtenstein, M. H. C., 1839 – 1 species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeIUCN status and estimated population
Tody motmot

H. momotula
Lichtenstein, M. H. C., 1839

Three subspecies
  • H. m. chiapensis
  • H. m. momotula
  • H. m. obscurus
Southern Mexico to northwestern Colombia
 LC 


20,000–49,999 [4]

Genus AspathaSharpe, 1892 – 1 species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeIUCN status and estimated population
Blue-throated motmot

A. gularis
(Lafresnaye, 1840)
Southern Mexico to Honduras
 LC 


20,000–49,999 [5]

Genus MomotusBrisson, 1760 – 7 species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeIUCN status and estimated population
Russet-crowned motmot

M. mexicanus
Swainson, 1827

Four subspecies
  • M. m. vanrossemi
  • M. m. mexicanus
  • M. m. saturatus
  • M. m. castaneiceps
Northwestern Mexico to southwestern Guatemala
 LC 


50,000–499,999 [6]

Blue-capped motmot

M. coeruliceps
(Gould, 1836)
Northeastern Mexico
 LC 


20,000–49,999 [7]

Lesson's motmot

M. lessonii
Lesson, R. P., 1842

Three subspecies
  • M. l. goldmani
  • M. l. exiguus
  • M. l. lessonii
Southern Mexico to western Panama
 LC 


500,000–4,999,999 [8]

Whooping motmot

M. subrufescens
Sclater, P. L., 1853

Four subspecies
  • M. s. subrufescens
  • M. s. spatha
  • M. s. osgoodi
  • M. s. argenticinctus
Central and South America
 LC 


50,000-499,999 [9]

Trinidad motmot

M. bahamensis
(Swainson, 1838)
Trinidad and Tobago
 LC 


Unknown [10]

Amazonian motmot

M. momota
(Linnaeus, 1766)

Nine subspecies
  • M. m. momota
  • M. m. microstephanus
  • M. m. ignobilis
  • M. m. nattereri
  • M. m. simplex
  • M. m. cametensis
  • M. m. perensis
  • M. m. marcgravianus
  • M. m. pilcomajensis
Amazon rainforest
 LC 


Unknown [11]

Andean motmot

M. aequatorialis
Gould, 1858

Two subspecies
  • M. a. aequatorialis
  • M. a. chlorolaemus
Andes
 LC 


Unknown [12]

Genus BaryphthengusCabanis & Heine, 1859 – 2 species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeIUCN status and estimated population
Rufous motmot

B. martii
(Spix, 1824)

Two subspecies
  • B. m. semirufus
  • B. m. martii
Central and South America
 LC 


5,000,000–49,999,999 [13]

Rufous-capped motmot

B. ruficapillus
(Vieillot, 1818)
Southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay and northeastern Argentina
 LC 


Unknown [14]

Genus ElectronGistel, 1848 – 2 species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeIUCN status and estimated population
Keel-billed motmot

E. carinatum
(du Bus de Gisignies, 1847)
Southern Mexico to northern Costa Rica
 VU 


1,500–7,000 [15]

Broad-billed motmot

E. platyrhynchum
(Leadbeater, 1829)

Six subspecies
  • E. p. minus
  • E. p. platyrhynchum
  • E. p. colombianum
  • E. p. pyrrholaemum
  • E. p. orienticola
  • E. p. chlorophrys
Central and South America
 LC 


500,000–4,999,999 [16]

Genus EumomotaSclater, P. L., 1858 – 1 species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeIUCN status and estimated population
Turquoise-browed motmot

E. superciliosa
(Sandbach, 1837)

Seven subspecies
  • E. s. bipartita
  • E. s. superciliosa
  • E. s. vanrossemi
  • E. s. sylvestris
  • E. s. apiaster
  • E. s. euroaustris
  • E. s. australis
Southern Mexico to northwestern Costa Rica
 LC 


500,000–4,999,999 [17]

Notes

References