Blue-Crowned Motmots on Tobago

 
blue-crowned motmot at night My first encounter with the Blue-Crowned Motmot happened at the same time and in the same place as my first sight of the Rufous Tailed Jacamar, one evening at the top of the Tobago Forest Reserve.

 
As you can see, it's a seriously beautiful bird, every bit a match for the jacamar!

Not only that, but it's just as approachable as the jacamars.

Blue-Crowned Motmot at night

 
Blue-Crowned Motmot perched on a dead banana plant
It's even more beautiful in the daytime!

 
Perhaps the most striking feature is its tail, with two oval "racquets" at the end. Blue-Crowned Motmot from head-on

 
The Motmot sometimes twitches its tail from side to side, but what this signifies I wouldn't know!

 
This pair of motmots flies free at the Grafton Caledonia Wildlife Sanctuary.   Like the other inhabitants, these ones turn up at the Copra House for the 4 o'clock feeding.   But look closely, and you'll see that the bird on the left has found something much more exciting to feast on - a fat, juicy spider!   No wonder the one on the right is looking away in disgust!
two motmots, one with a spider

 
closeup of two motmots together on a branch

 
 
click here to go to my home page click here to go to the main Bird page click here to see the Bird section of the site map
click here to see the Trinidad and Tobago Bird photo galleries
click here to go to the Bird website links page
click here to go to the main Tobago Bird page