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Photo: Dan Vickers / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Vulnerable

Keel-billed Motmot

Electron carinatum

Keel-billed Motmot (Electron carinatum) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Central America & Caribbean.

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The Keel-billed Motmot (Electron carinatum) is a member of the Momotidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 64.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.

VU Vulnerable

Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Coraciiformes
  3. Family Momotidae Motmots
  4. Genus Electron
  5. Species carinatum

Where it lives

Southern Mexico to northern Costa Rica

Quick facts

Weight
64.9 g
Family
Momotidae
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Keel-billed Motmot is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The Keel-billed Motmot is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Keel-billed Motmot (Electron carinatum) is a member of the Momotidae family, within the order Coraciiformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA s Mexico to n Costa Rica.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 64.9 g, with a wing length of about 11.4 cm and a tail of around 17.2 cm.

It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 36,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.

Songs & calls

Keel-billed Motmot — Song

Recorded by Liliana Chavarria-Duriaux Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Keel-billed Motmot?

The Keel-billed Motmot is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 64.9 g.

Where does the Keel-billed Motmot live?

The Keel-billed Motmot is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA s Mexico to n Costa Rica, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Keel-billed Motmot belong to?

The Keel-billed Motmot (Electron carinatum) belongs to the Momotidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.

What does the Keel-billed Motmot eat?

The Keel-billed Motmot is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Keel-billed Motmot migrate?

The Keel-billed Motmot is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Keel-billed Motmot endangered?

It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.

What sound does the Keel-billed Motmot make?

1 real field recording of the Keel-billed Motmot — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Keel-billed Motmot's range?

The Keel-billed Motmot has a mapped global range of about 36,000 km².

Conservation

Vulnerable

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

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