Habitat
Lowland and montane humid forest and temperate woodland, semi-arid open woodland, plantations and clearings with trees, gardens, sandy beaches, open pasture with large trees. From sea-level - 3,100 m.
Andean Motmot (Momotus aequatorialis) [XC273645]
by Fernanda Garcia from Bosque Bremen, Quindio, Colombia (song)
Andean Motmot (Momotus aequatorialis) [XC425859]
by Andres Angulo from Reserva Entreaguas, Coello - Cocora, Ibagu\u00e9, Tolima, Colombia (call, drumming)
Subspecies
Momotus momota (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) was previously split into Amazonian Motmot (Momotus momota) and Highland Motmot (Momotus aequatorialis) following Stotz et al. (1996), but this treatment is no longer adopted, following SACC (2005).
Fairly closely related to Amazonian Motmot (Momotus momota), and sometimes treated as a well-marked highland subspecies thereof, but notable differences in size and plumage, as well as in ecology, probably justify its separation as a full species.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
aequatorialis Gould, 1858 - Subtropical and lower temperate zones of Andes in western Colombia, and eastern slopes of Andes in Ecuador.
chlorolaemus von Berlepsch & Stolzmann, 1902 - Subtropical Andes in eastern Peru; possibly also south to northern Bolivia.