Lesson’s Motmot
Momotus lessonii
eBird describes the Lesson’s Motmot like this: Large motmot of tropical lowland forest and edge, mainly in humid areas. Perches low to high, usually in shady areas. Blue crown with a big black central patch, unlike solid blue of Blue-capped Motmot, which occurs to the north. Plumage overall less contrasting in pattern than Turquoise-browed Motmot, with much smaller tail rackets. The name ‘motmot’ comes from double-hooting call of this species, which can sound like an owl, and is mainly uttered around dawn.
The Birds of the World website introduces the Lesson’s Motmot with this descriptive information: Lesson’s Motmot is one of the most common and widespread species of motmot in Central America, with a distribution that extends from southern Mexico south to central Panama. Its distribution is sandwiched in between two similar, closely related species. To the north, in northeastern Mexico, Lesson’s is replaced by Blue-capped Motmot (Momotus coeruliceps), which has a completely turquoise blue crown. Very little is known about the region where these two species replace each other; some apparent hybrids have been reported, but the incidence of hybridization has not been documented. At the other end of its range, Lesson’s Motmot is replaced in central Panama by Whooping Motmot (M. subrufescens). In this region, the two species can be distinguished by the color of the underparts (greener in Lesson’s, more tawny in Whooping) and by song (double noted in Lesson’s, and single noted in Whooping). Like other species of motmots, birds often perch on a favored branch, where they cock their long tail back and forth like a clock pendulum and occasionally sally after a flying insect. The natural history of Lesson’s Motmot is similar in many respects to several other allopatric species of motmots in the “Blue-crowned Motmot” complex (Blue-capped, Lesson’s, Whooping, Trinidad M. bahamensis, Amazonian M. momota, and Andean M. aequatorialis), all of which formerly were classified as a single, highly variable species.
I met, and photographed, my first Lesson’s Motmot on the early morning of Sunday, February 12, 2023 in Costa Rica. Our birding group with Tropical Birding Tours was staying at Cala Lodge in Monteverde and we saw this beautiful motmot on many occasions during the two days we were there. My first sighting was during an early morning walk when we spotted this bird near one of the secluded cabin complexes away from the main lodge. We saw this bird many times up by the main lodge and the feeders located there. What a beautiful and interesting bird!
