Costa Rica Species
Momotus lessonii
AnimaliaHighest rank in taxonomy. Groups all life into domains: Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, etc.IUCN LCInternational Union for Conservation of Nature — the world authority on species extinction risk, using standardized criteria. — Least Concern — widespread and abundant; not at immediate risk of extinction.In ProgressCurrent stage of this record in the editorial review workflow. Recent Sighting

Momotus lessonii

Lesson's Motmot

Lesson, 1842

Detailed Texts Multi-lang
Lesson's motmot (Momotus lessonii) is a bird of the family Momotidae, endemic to Central America and one of the most recognizable and beloved birds of the Costa Rican tropical forest. It has a robust, medium-sized body with a large head, short neck, and short legs. The plumage is notably showy: the head bears a brilliant turquoise-blue crown edged with dark blue or black, with a black central spot on the pileum and a black mask running from the bill, encircling the eye to the nape, bordered by iridescent blue-green. The back, wings, and tail are olive-green to emerald green, with bluish-tinged primary flight feathers. The breast is rufous-orange or olive-green depending on the region, and the belly is paler green. The most distinctive feature is the long tail with the two central feathers ending in an oval racket — a palette of dense barbs — preceded by a bare barbless segment forming the 'stem'. The bill is robust, black, slightly down-curved, and with a serrated edge. The feet are syndactyl and dark gray. It is distributed from southern Mexico to northwestern Colombia, being one of four species of the genus Momotus present in Costa Rica.

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TaxonomyBiological classification ranks placing this species within the tree of life, from Kingdom down to Genus.

PhylumRank below Kingdom. Groups organisms sharing a fundamental body plan (e.g., Chordata = vertebrates and some invertebrates).Chordata
ClassRank below Phylum. Subdivides by structural traits (e.g., Mammalia, Aves, Reptilia, Insecta).Aves
OrderRank below Class. Groups related families sharing common ancestry (e.g., Carnivora, Primates).Coraciiformes
FamilyRank below Order. Groups closely related genera (e.g., Felidae = cats, Canidae = dogs).Momotidae
GenusRank just above Species. The first word in the two-part binomial scientific name.Momotus
Taxonomic AuthorityThe scientist who first formally described and published this species, followed by the year of publication.Lesson, 1842
Record Completeness
93%
Coming soon

Ecology & StatusHow this species lives: habitat preferences, diet, behavior, population status, and role in its ecosystem.

OriginWhether the species is native (evolved here), endemic (found only here), or introduced by human activity.

Native

Population TrendDirection of change in population size over time: increasing, stable, decreasing, or unknown.

Stable

Breeding SeasonTime of year when this species typically reproduces or flowers.

--

Trophic RolePosition in the food chain: producer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, decomposer, or parasite.

Omnivore

Recent SightingsWhether this species has been observed in the wild in Costa Rica within recent years.

Yes

Habitat SummaryOverview of the specific ecosystems and environments where this species is found in Costa Rica. Multi-lang

Lesson's motmot inhabits a wide variety of forested and semi-open environments, being one of the most ecologically plastic birds in Central America. It occupies the interior and edges of lowland and premontane tropical moist and dry forests, advanced secondary forests, shade coffee plantations, cacao groves, wooded gardens, urban parks, edges of rural roads with forested vegetation, and wooded riversides. It is markedly terrestrial in its foraging behavior, spending much of its time perched motionless on low understory branches at 1–6 meters height from which it observes and captures prey on the ground. It can be found from sea level to 2,400 meters in altitude. In Costa Rica it is one of the most widely distributed and frequently observed birds in the country, present in virtually all ecosystems including gardens and green areas of the Greater Metropolitan Area.

BehaviourDaily activity patterns, movement, territory use, foraging style, and seasonal behavioral changes. Multi-lang

Lesson's motmot is primarily diurnal with greatest activity in the early morning hours and at dusk. Its foraging strategy consists of remaining motionless for extended periods on a low perch — 1 to 6 meters above ground — from which it observes the ground and surrounding vegetation with continuously moving eyes, then launching in a short flight and returning to the same or a nearby perch with captured prey. This 'sentinel perching' behavior allows it to efficiently exploit the understory without expending energy on active searching. It moves its tail in a rhythmic pendulum while at rest. It is territorial during the breeding season, defending the area around the nesting tunnel through vocalizations — a deep, hoarse, guttural song — and pursuits of intruders. Outside the breeding season it is less territorial and can tolerate other individuals in areas of high food density. It spends nights in dense understory vegetation.

Social ActivitySocial structure: whether the species is solitary, paired, or colonial; hierarchy and communication. Multi-lang

Lesson's motmot is primarily solitary or found in stable pairs throughout the year. Pairs maintain long-lasting monogamous bonds and are seen together regularly outside the breeding season during foraging and rest. Pair communication includes duet vocalizations where both individuals sing simultaneously in different registers, mutual preening (allopreening) behavior, and male-to-female food transfer as part of courtship. Territorial defense during reproduction is carried out primarily by the male through territorial song from prominent perches at dawn. Encounters with intruding individuals result in brief aerial pursuits and alarm vocalizations. They do not form mixed flocks with other species but can tolerate the presence of other birds in the same food-resource tree.

Feeding GuildWhat the species eats, how it forages or hunts, and its role as a consumer in the food web. Multi-lang

Omnivorous insectivore-carnivore with frugivorous supplement. It forages primarily through the 'sentinel perching' method: it remains motionless on a low perch and launches in short descending flights toward the ground or low vegetation to capture prey. Animal prey includes large insects (beetles, crickets, mantids, grasshoppers), lizards of various species, small frogs, small snakes, centipedes, large spiders, and occasionally eggs and nestlings of other birds. Fruits, especially Ficus spp. and Cecropia spp., constitute 15 to 30% of the diet depending on the season. Large prey are repeatedly struck against the branch before swallowing. It does not store food.

Trophic Chain DetailsSpecific interactions in local food webs: prey species, predators, competitors, and scavengers. Multi-lang

Omnivorous secondary consumer with a broad diet spanning live prey and fruits. It primarily consumes large arthropods (beetles, orthopterans, mantids, centipedes, large spiders), lizards (especially Anolis spp. and Norops spp.), small frogs, small snakes, land snails, eggs of other birds, and ripe fruits — especially Ficus spp., Cecropia spp., and Heliconia spp. It acts as a secondary seed disperser of various understory plant species. Its main predators are the short-tailed hawk (Buteo brachyurus), collared forest-falcon (Micrastur semitorquatus), boa constrictor (Boa constrictor), margay (Leopardus wiedii), and raccoons (Procyon lotor). Eggs and chicks in the nesting tunnel are vulnerable to the tiger ratsnake (Spilotes pullatus), hognosed pitviper (Porthidium nasutum), and small burrowing mammals such as opossums (Didelphis marsupialis).

Reproductive BehaviourMating strategies, courtship displays, nesting or spawning behavior, and parental care. Multi-lang

The breeding season in Costa Rica extends primarily from March to June. Courtship includes intense dawn duet vocalizations, allopreening between the pair, and food transfer from male to female. Both sexes excavate the nesting tunnel collaboratively over 3 to 6 weeks, using the bill to remove soil and feet to dislodge it. The tunnel measures between 30 and 150 cm in length and ends in a spherical chamber 15 to 20 cm in diameter that is not lined with nesting material. The clutch consists of 3 to 4 rounded white eggs. Both sexes incubate, with turns of several hours during the day and the male generally incubating at night, for 17 to 22 days. Chicks hatch altricial — blind, without down, and with reddish skin — and are fed by both parents with insects, lizards, and small frogs until approximately 24 to 32 days, when they leave the tunnel. Young reach full adult plumage including the tail rackets at 10–12 months.

Physical Measures

Length (cm)

38.0 - 48.0 cm

Weight (Grams)

90 g - 140 g

Offspring per cycleTypical number of young (live births, eggs, or seeds) produced by one adult in a single reproductive event or breeding season.3 - 4
Sexual DimorphismObservable physical differences between males and females of the same species (e.g., size, coloration, features).No

Lifespan

Sexual MaturityAge at which the individual becomes capable of reproducing for the first time.

1 - 2 Years

Gestation / IncubationDuration from fertilization to birth (mammals) or to hatching (egg-laying species).

17 - 22

Lifespan EstimatedExpected duration of life from birth to natural death under wild conditions.
Males10 - 20 Years
Females10 - 20 Years

Evolutionary AdaptationsInherited traits and behaviors that improve the species' survival and reproduction in its specific environment. Multi-lang

Racket tail with dense terminal barbs and a bare intermediate stem, formed not by special genetic morphology but by active behavior: the bird deliberately nibbles the barbs of the central tail feathers until leaving the bare segment that precedes the terminal racket. This plumage self-manipulation — unique among birds — converts the tail into a dynamic social signal whose exact shape varies between individuals and may reflect the carrier's physical condition.
Highly specialized 'sentinel perching' behavior: it remains motionless for periods of 5 to 45 minutes on the same low perch, with its eyes in continuous movement scanning the ground and surrounding vegetation. This 'sit-and-wait' foraging strategy minimizes food search energy expenditure and maximizes detection of prey by movement on the ground or in vegetation, combining the efficiency of an ambush predator with the mobility of a bird capable of aerial capture flights.
Robust bill with serrated edges — similar to those of the genus Baryphthengus and other motmots — that functions as a multifunctional tool: it allows gripping slippery prey such as lizards and frogs, crushing insects with hard exoskeletons, manipulating fruits with resistant endocarps, and striking captured prey against branches to stun or kill it before swallowing.
Pendular tail behavior — popularly known as the 'clock pendulum effect' — where the bird rhythmically moves the racket feathers from side to side while perched at rest. This movement, studied for decades, was initially described as an involuntary signal of nervous arousal, but recent research suggests it may be an honest signal of physical condition directed at conspecifics or potential predators, communicating 'I have seen you' without needing to flee.

Main ThreatsDocumented pressures reducing the population: habitat loss, hunting, disease, climate change, and invasive species. Multi-lang

Habitat loss and degradation due to deforestation for livestock, agricultural expansion, and urban development, which eliminates the low understory tree cover it depends on for foraging and nesting. Despite its notable tolerance to disturbance, the motmot disappears from completely deforested zones without remnant tree cover, and population density decreases significantly in landscapes with less than 30% woody vegetation cover.
Accidental capture in traps intended for other species and vehicle collision when foraging on road edges. The motmot spends considerable time on the ground or on very low branches beside trails and roadsides, which exposes it to vehicle collisions especially in areas where road edges lack buffer vegetation.
Use of systemic agricultural insecticides in coffee, heart of palm, pineapple, and other monoculture zones that reduce the availability of large insects — beetles, orthopterans, mantids — that constitute an important fraction of the motmot's protein diet, especially during the breeding season when chicks require a high proportion of animal protein.

Interesting FactsSurprising or notable facts that highlight what makes this species unique or ecologically important. Multi-lang

The pendular tail movement of the motmot — where it rhythmically swings the terminal rackets from side to side like a clock pendulum — is one of the most studied and debated behaviors in tropical ornithology. For decades it was believed to be an involuntary nervous reflex produced upon detecting a predator. Recent research tracking male-female and predator-prey interactions suggests it may be an honest fitness signal — 'I saw you and I'm fit enough not to flee' — that deters the predator from investing energy in a chase unlikely to succeed.
The motmot nests in tunnels excavated in earthen banks, road cuts, or embankments, to a depth of up to 1.5 meters, ending in a spherical chamber without nest lining. This subterranean nesting strategy makes it notably resistant to aerial and arboreal predation — tree snakes, raptors, mammals — but exposes it to chamber flooding during heavy rains and gallery collapse in heavily saturated soils.
The motmot is considered the type species of motmots and one of the icons of Costa Rican ecotourism: it appears on road signs, tourist brochures, and Costa Rica merchandise more frequently than any other bird in the country except the quetzal. Its tolerance of human presence — it can be observed at distances of less than 3 meters without showing alarm signs in areas with regular tourist traffic — makes it the most accessible checklist bird for visiting birdwatchers in the country.
Although popularly called 'bobo' in Costa Rica — a name derived from its trusting and apparently indifferent behavior toward human presence — the motmot is actually a highly efficient predator. Stomach content studies document that it can capture prey considerably larger than its head — including lizards up to 15 cm, tree frogs, small snakes, and centipedes — which it repeatedly strikes against a branch to crush before swallowing whole.