Motmots

Motmots, known as the family Momotidae, are a group of vibrant and colorful birds found in woodlands and forests of the Neotropics, particularly dense in Middle America. With a strong bill and often sporting long tails with a unique racket-like tip (except for the tody motmot), these birds primarily feed on small prey like insects, lizards, and fruit. Behaviorally, they're known for nesting in tunnel-like structures in banks, where they lay around four white eggs with both parents tending to their young. They exhibit a fascinating tail wag-display that is thought to deter predators by indicating that the motmot is aware of their presence and ready to flee, making an actual chase unnecessary. This tail movement is also believed to have a role in sexual signaling, especially since males have slightly longer tails than females. Although once thought to shape their peculiar tail feathers by self-plucking, current understanding is that the barbs at the tail tips fall off naturally. The family includes several genera, such as Hylomanes, Aspatha, Momotus, Electron, Eumomota, and Baryphthengus, each with multiple species. Additionally, fossil evidence suggests that motmots have been around since the Oligocene epoch, with a possible ancient relative known as Protornis and unnamed fossil remains possibly related to present-day groups.