Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Tody Motmot (Hylomanes momotula)
Tody Motmot

Tody Motmot

Hylomanes momotula

The Tody Motmot, a diminutive and vibrant bird, is the smallest member of the motmot family. It bears a striking resemblance to the Caribbean todies, hence its name. This species is adorned with a green crown, a rufous neck, and a green back and rump. A blue supercilium and a black facial mask, edged with a white stripe, give it a distinctive appearance. Its throat is white, transitioning to a greenish breast with light streaks and a white belly.

Identification Tips

When observing the Tody Motmot, look for its compact size, which ranges from 16.5 to 18.0 cm in length. The males typically weigh between 27 to 33 grams, while the females are slightly lighter at 25 to 30 grams. The bird's coloration is a key identifier, with variations among the three subspecies. The nominate subspecies is the brightest, while the others, M. m. chiapensis and M. m. obscurus, are somewhat darker, with the latter having less white on the throat.

Habitat

This species favors the humid evergreen forests, often found from sea level up to 1,850 meters in elevation. It has a particular affinity for ravines within these lush environments.

Distribution

The Tody Motmot's range extends from southern Mexico through Central America and into Colombia. Its presence is confirmed in countries such as Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.

Behaviour

The Tody Motmot is known for its unique feeding behavior, as it captures insects, spiders, and snails from vegetation in flight and is also adept at catching butterflies and dragonflies on the wing. Unlike its motmot relatives, it does not typically consume fruit.

Song & Calls

Listeners can identify the Tody Motmot by its resonant and gruff-sounding "kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa…" or "quah quah quah quah…" call. It also emits loud, penetrating, hollow "whoop!" notes that carry through its forested habitat.

Breeding

Little is known about the breeding habits of the Tody Motmot. Observations include adults carrying food in June and sightings of adults with fledglings in early July. The nest of this elusive bird remains a mystery to ornithologists.

Similar Species

Due to its unique size and coloration within the motmot family, the Tody Motmot has few similar species. However, its resemblance to the todies of the Caribbean may cause some initial confusion for the untrained eye.

Diet and Feeding

The Tody Motmot's diet is primarily composed of insects, spiders, and snails. It is an active forager, adept at plucking prey from foliage or capturing it mid-flight.

Conservation status

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the Tody Motmot as Least Concern. Its population varies from very uncommon to common across its fragmented range, but it does not currently face significant threats that would warrant a higher conservation status.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Tody Motmots on Birda

Sightings
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Rick Szabo
Rick Szabo
13 Nov 2023 - 11:57am
Belize

More Motmots

A photo of a Blue-throated Motmot (Aspatha gularis)

Blue-throated Motmot

Aspatha gularis
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Louise L
Easy to use and accurate
Love this app. It is easy to use and accurate, Their backup communication is really good. I noted a missing species. All through the process, I was kept informed about the progress in correcting the information. I now have the corrected, updated version. 😁 Thanks!
Foxgirl100
Great app for beginner twitchers
I’ve had a passion of photographing birds for a long time now but have only just gotten into proper birdwatching, and this app is brilliant for those just getting started. There is a great sense of community among users and the app is very easy to use and professional. Awesome app altogether
Bryan C
Clean and easy to use
Really enjoying this app, it's clean and easy to use. I love the ease of being able to add those one-off birds without starting a whole checklist. I also like the social aspect, like the parts of my Facebook I like, without the ads and junk, just birds. Can't wait to see it become more populated.
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
JCBirding
Just what birding needs
We need more fun in birding, for years it has had a reputation for being up tight and stuffy and only perused by retirees and anoraks. Birda helps change that perception and firmly brings birding into the 21st century! Fun, interactive while still contributing to science and conservation. If you aren’t on it, why not??
Dan R
Great app for bird fanatics
Great app for bird fanatics - very user friendly and a perfect place to share sightings.
Talli A
My favourite app
As a young birdwatcher who was always keen to be apart of a community but never seemed to find one, my problem was solved downloading this!!! Everyone is so friendly and just as excited to see birds as me 😁
Birdafan
Ideal Birdwatch Companion
Simply adds to the enjoyment of my birdwatching and helps me record what I’ve seen.
SW H
Wonderful App
Birda is my go to app for keeping records of my bird sightings and sessions. It has fantastic information which is great at aiding identification. With all the updates that are coming in the new year, this app is something special.
Tralisalandhoop
Fantastic app - Love it!
Love this app and have used it almost daily. Lots of species information and easy to use. Love seeing birds spotted by other users in the UK and worldwide.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.