Photo: Mike's Birds from Riverside, CA, US / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Whooping Motmot
Momotus subrufescens
Whooping Motmot (Momotus subrufescens) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Whooping Motmot (Momotus subrufescens) is a member of the Momotidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 97.1 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Coraciiformes
- Family Momotidae Motmots
- Genus Momotus
- Species subrufescens
Where it lives
Central Panama, northern Colombia, northern Venezuela, western Ecuador and northwestern Peru
Quick facts
- Weight
- 97.1 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Momotidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Whooping Motmot is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Whooping Motmot is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Whooping Motmot (Momotus subrufescens) belongs to the Momotidae family of the order Coraciiformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA c Panama, n Colombia, n Venezuela, w Ecuador and nw Peru.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 97.1 g, with a wing length of about 12.4 cm and a tail of around 21.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 342,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Whooping Motmot?
The Whooping Motmot is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 97.1 g.
Where does the Whooping Motmot live?
The Whooping Motmot is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA c Panama, n Colombia, n Venezuela, w Ecuador and nw Peru, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Whooping Motmot belong to?
The Whooping Motmot (Momotus subrufescens) belongs to the Momotidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Whooping Motmot eat?
The Whooping Motmot is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Whooping Motmot migrate?
The Whooping Motmot is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Whooping Motmot endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Whooping Motmot make?
1 real field recording of the Whooping Motmot — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Whooping Motmot's range?
The Whooping Motmot has a mapped global range of about 342,000 km².
Conservation
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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