Rufous Motmot

Zimtbrustmotmot ( Baryphthengus martii )

The Zimtbrustmotmot ( Baryphthengus martii ) is a bird of the family of Sägeracken ( Momotidae ) and occurs in Central and South America.

Features

The 45 cm long Zimtbrustmotmot is a stocky bird with a long tail, a large head and a large down turned beak and black eye-streak; Head and bottom are colored orange; Wings and tail are green with blue edges.

Occurrence

The Zimtbrustmotmot inhabits lowland and mountain forests, and mature secondary forests. The distribution area of the northern population extends from Nicaragua south to western Ecuador. Another lives in the western Amazon basin.

Behavior

This bird spends most of its time high up in the branches of a tree and flies only to catch insects with a sudden movement in the foliage. Occasionally he throws himself to the ground down to there small animals to take even mice and lizards. He succeeds sometimes colonies of army ants that startle on their forays smaller animals. Larger prey is carried back to the raised hide and beaten to kill against a tree branch. The animal food he supplemented by fruits, which he plucks in flight from the trees. Zimtbrustmotmots are found alone or in pairs.

Reproduction

The Zimtbrustmotmot broods in a bare brood chamber at the end of a self-dug tube at river banks or between tree roots. In it, he snaps and outside the breeding season.