Latin Etymology: Eumomota (derived from Nahutatl name for Motmots) superciliosa ("eyebrow")
Turquoise-browed Motmot (Eumomota superciliosa) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025
Featured Subspecies: Eumomota superciliosa australis
Weight: 65g / Length: 34cm / Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern
The motmots are a group of coraciiformes found exclusively in the Neotropics where they fill a similar ecological niche to rollers and certain kingfisher species as a perch hunter of small vertebrates. The Turquoise-browed motmot in particular has several interesting behaviours - they will way their tail in the presence of predators to indicate to the predator they have detected it and would flee, thus benefiting both species by avoiding pursuit. Additionally, the long "rackets" of the trail are not formed like that, but rather the result of abrasian and preening gradually stripping the shafts bare over time.
Related Species:
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Momotidae
Genus: Eumomota
SUBSPECIES: E. s. bipartite, E. s. superciliosa, E. s. vanrossemi, E. s. sylvestris, E. s. apiaster, E. s. euroaustris, E. s. australis
- Sighting Locations -
Found in North West Costa Rica
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles
Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto
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