Blue-crowned Motmot © peruaves.org

Quite closely related to Highland Motmot (Momotus aequatorialis), and sometimes treated as conspecific, but significant differences in size and plumage, as well as ecological differences, almost certainly justify their being ranked as separate full species. Very wide distribution and considerable geographical, as well as individual, variation have led to numerous subspecies being named. Subspecies goldmani, exiguus and lessonii sometimes referred to as "lessonii group", conexus, subrufescens, spatha and osgoodi as "subrufescens group", and all other populations eastern and southern from north-central Colombia as "momota group". These groups, along with coeruliceps, sometimes thought possibly to represent four separate species. In particular, populations in eastern Panama differ from those in western in several plumage characters, as well as in size and, apparently, voice, with no recorded intergradation, suggesting they are possibly distinct species. Isolated Trinidad and Tobago subspecies bahamensis rather distinct, would probably be considered separate species on basis of molecular genetics. Populations of eastern Panama and north-western Colombia, described as subspecies reconditus, now included in conexus.

The following 20 subspecies are recognised:

• coeruliceps (Gould, 1836)   -  North-eastern Mexico (eastern Nuevo Leon, southern Tamaulipas). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Blue-crowned Motmot (Momotus coeruliceps).
• goldmani Nelson, 1900   -  Eastern Mexico (Veracruz, northern Oaxaca, Tabasco) and neighbouring Guatemala (Petén). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Blue-diademed Motmot (Momotus lessonii).
• exiguus Ridgway, 1912   -  Yucatán Peninsula. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Blue-diademed Motmot (Momotus lessonii).
• lessonii Lesson, 1842   -  Southern Mexico (Chiapas) east to western Panama. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Blue-diademed Motmot (Momotus lessonii).
• conexus Thayer and Bangs, 1906   -  Central Panama to north-western Colombia.
• subrufescens P. L. Sclater, 1853   -  Caribbean coast of northern Colombia (south to Magdalena Valley) to Venezuela. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Whooping Motmot (Momotus subrufescens).
• spatha Wetmore, 1946   -  Guajira Peninsula (Serraní­a de Macuira), in northern Colombia. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Whooping Motmot (Momotus subrufescens).
• osgoodi Cory, 1913   -  North-western Venezuela and adjacent Colombia (to Norte de Santander). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Whooping Motmot (Momotus subrufescens).
• bahamensis (Swainson, 1838)   -  Trinidad and Tobago. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Trinidad Motmot (Momotus bahamensis).
• olivaresi Hernández and Romero, 1978   -  North-central Colombia (Santander, Boyacá).
• argenticinctus Sharpe, 1892   -  Western Ecuador and north-western Peru west of Andes. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Whooping Motmot (Momotus subrufescens).
• microstephanus Sclater, PL, 1858   -  Lowlands east of Andes in eastern Colombia, western Venezuela, eastern Ecuador, north-eastern Peru and north-western Brazil (east to upper R Negro).
• momota (Linnaeus, 1766)   -  From R Orinoco east to northern Brazil (Amapá), south to northern bank of lower Amazon.
• ignobilis von Berlepsch, 1889   -  Eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, and probably western Brazil.
• simplex Chapman, 1923   -  Northern Brazil south of Amazon (from near Peru border east to upper R Xingú, south to northern Mato Grosso and central Goiás).
• cametensis Snethlage, E, 1912   -  Lower R Xingú (probably from lower R Tapajós) east to R To­­cantins.
• parensis Sharpe, 1892   -  From Amazon mouth east to Piauí­ and probably western Alagoas.
• marcgraviana Pinto and Camargo, 1961   -  Paraiba, in north-eastern Brazil.
• nattereri Sclater, PL, 1858   -  Northern and central Bolivia (mainly along Andean foothills).
• pilcomajensis Reichenow, 1919   -  Eastern Bolivia and northern Argentina east to southern Brazil (to southern Goiás, southern Sío Paulo and north-western Paraná).

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BirdLife International For more information about the Blue-crowned Motmot see... BirdLife International Species Factsheet. Articles about the Blue-crowned Motmot If you would like to read any articles about the Blue-crowned Motmot... Show Articles (0) No Pictures of Blue-crowned Motmot If Birdpedia has no pictures of Blue-crowned Motmot or you would like to see more, then try the following...       From BING (10) No Videos of Blue-crowned Motmot If Birdpedia has no videos of Blue-crowned Motmot or you would like to see more, then try the following..       From BING (0) Where can I observe this species? Select an area (or leave blank) to see locations where this species has been recorded. Area   BELIZE OCEAN   All    Optional: Complete the following if you wish to restrict the reserve to within a given distance of a location. Please enter the Latitude and Longitiude of a given location together with the maximum distance (km) to display a list of reserves within that distance. You must enter a Latitude, a Longitude and a distance greater than 0.   Latitude: (Decimal degrees takes precedence) Deg Min Sec     Decimal degrees (Include compass setting or value)          N S or   GPS help Longitude: (Decimal degrees takes precedence) Deg Min Sec     Decimal degrees (Include compass setting or value)          E W or   Find GPS using Google Maps Distance Bearing     N NE E SE S SW W NW Get Sample GPS readings On What Field Trips was this species observed? Select an area (or leave blank), and a date range, to see field trips on which this species has been recorded. Area   BELIZE OCEAN   All    From To     Optional: Complete the following if you wish to restrict the reserve to within a given distance of a location. Please enter the Latitude and Longitiude of a given location together with the maximum distance (km) to display a list of reserves within that distance. You must enter a Latitude, a Longitude and a distance greater than 0.   Latitude: (Decimal degrees takes precedence) Deg Min Sec     Decimal degrees (Include compass setting or value)          N S or   GPS help Longitude: (Decimal degrees takes precedence) Deg Min Sec     Decimal degrees (Include compass setting or value)          E W or Distance Bearing     N NE E SE S SW W NW Get Sample GPS readings Latest Sightings for Blue-crowned Motmot Select the Area to restrict the Sightings. Area   BELIZE OCEAN   All