Trogons feed on fruits from palms, cecropias, and
many other species, which they take by hovering briefly
at the tree, plucking the fruits. They also catch large
insects and occasional lizards, swiftly swooping down
on them or snatching them in flight. Trogon bills are
finely serrated, permitting a tight grip on food items.
Arguably the most spectacular member of the
trogon family is the Central American Resplendent
Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno; plate 15- 19), which
is said to be the inspiration for the legendary phoenix.
Guatemala’s monetary unit is the quetzal, and the bird’s
image appears on all currency. Quetzals inhabit the
cloud forests of Middle America, migrating to lower
elevations seasonally. Most striking about the quetzal’s
plumage is the brilliant green male’s elongated upper
tail coverts, graceful plumes that stream down well
below the actual tail, making the bird’s total length
fully 61 cm (24 in). Females are a duller green and lack
the elaborate tail plumes. Four other quetzal species
are found in South America, and all are worth a look,
but none of them have the long plumes of their more
northerly relative.
Motmots
The motmot family (Momotidae) currently consists
of 14 species (but the taxonomy is being debated), all
Neotropical. They are evolutionarily closely related
to the kingfishers (discussed in chapter 9; plates 9- 8–
12) and the todies (Todidae), a group of five species
of small, brilliantly colored kingfisher- like birds that
inhabit various islands of the Greater Antilles (plates 8-
6– 7). All of these birds share an unusual foot structure,
in which the outermost and middle toes are fused
together for almost their entire lengths. Motmots are
slender birds whose back and tail colors are mixtures
of green, olive, and blue. They have various amounts
of rufous on the breast and have a wide, black band
through the eye; some species have metallic blue
feathers at the top of the head. Motmots range in
size from the 18 cm (7 in) Tody Motmot (Hylomanes
momotula) to the 44 cm (17.3 in) Rufous Motmot
(Baryphthengus martii).
Two noteworthy features of motmots are a long,
racket- shaped tail (present on most but not all species)
and a heavily serrated bill. The tail, which in some
species accounts for more than half the bird’s total
length, develops two extraordinarily long central
feathers. As the bird preens, sections of feather barbs
drop off, leaving the vane exposed. The intact feather
tip forms the “racket head” (plate 15- 20). One may
first sight a motmot as it sits on a horizontal branch
in the forest understory methodically swinging its tail
back and forth like a feathered pendulum (plate 15-
21). Another distinctive motmot characteristic is its
bill, which is long, heavy, and strong, with toothlike
serrations. I have held motmots and can testify as to
the strength of their bite. They feed on large arthropods
such as cicadas, butterflies, and spiders and will often
whack their prey against a branch before eating it.
They also take small snakes and lizards and frequently
accompany army ant swarms. Motmots also eat much
fruit, especially palm nuts, which they skillfully snip
off while hovering, in a manner similar to trogons.
Motmots are burrow nesters, making nest holes
in embankments, another characteristic they share
with kingfishers and todies. They excavate a tunnel
nest along watercourses or occasionally nest within a
mammal burrow.
Motmots are most vocal at dawn. The call of the
common and widespread Blue- crowned Motmot
(Momotus momota; plates 15- 20– 21) may have given
the family its name. The bird makes a soft, monotonous,
and easily imitated whoot whoot. Often the birds in a
pair will call back and forth to each other.Jacamars
There are 19 species of jacamars (plates 15- 22– 24),
family Galbulidae, all of which are found in the
Neotropics. The family is relatively closely related
to the woodpecker order, Piciformes. Jacamars are
anatomically somewhat similar to the Old World bee-
eaters (family Meropidae). They have long slender bills
and fly out from a perch to capture insects. Jacamars
are typically found along forest edge or within forests,
often along steams. They usually occur in pairs, though
not always. Their acrobatic flight is an adaptation to
capture flying insects, something they appear to do
with considerable skill. They are typical sit- and- wait
predators, perching and patiently waiting for a flying
insect to come within capturing distance. At that point
the jacamar will sally forth for the capture. Jacamars,
like bee- eaters, excavate nests in embankments, though
some use termite nests.270 chapter 15 neotropical birds: the bustling crowd