Bird Guide

Broad-billed Motmot vs Keel-billed Motmot

Broad-billed Motmot (Electron platyrhynchum)

Broad-billed Motmot

Electron platyrhynchum

Medium73 gForest

At about 12 inches long, the broad-billed motmot is one of the smallest members of the family Momotidae. These birds weigh 60 grams on average. They have dark eyes and feet. Most of its upper body, including its head, neck and chest, is a cinnamon-rufous colour. There is a black patch on either side of its head that covers the cheeks and auricular area, as well as one on the centre of its chest. The lower half of its body is more greenish above and becomes more blueish below. The broad-billed motmot has a long tail that gradually changes from blue to black. Voice: The family Momotidae is small, but they have a wide variety of sounds. The broad-billed motmot's most utilized vocalization is its song, which they most often give at dawn. It is described as a nasal "cwaah" sound and it is generally repeated at long intervals, but it is sometimes done as a shorter and faster sequence, or as a duet.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Broad-billed Motmot
Recorded by Beth Cottam · Song · Rio Tuis ZP- near Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica · CC0
Photo: Andra Waagmeester · CC0
Keel-billed Motmot (Electron carinatum)

Keel-billed Motmot

Electron carinatum

Medium65 gForest

The keel-billed motmot is 30.5 to 38 cm (12 to 15 in) long; one male weighed 65 g (2.3 oz). It is a smallish member of the motmot family. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a rufus forehead and a black "mask" with a turquoise-blue arc above it on an otherwise green face. Their upper parts are also green. Their chin is pale turquoise. Their underparts are mostly rufous in the northern part of their range becoming greenish to greenish cinnamon in the south. Their chest has a black spot. Their tail is green; its central pair of feathers are elongated and end in racquets. Voice: The keel-billed motmot's vocalizations are very similar to those of the broad-billed motmot. It makes "a loud, far-carrying, low-pitched, nasal 'cuaet cuaet cadack' or 'ohhng' ".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Keel-billed Motmot
Recorded by Oliver Komar · Call · Mábita (Rus Rus), municipio de Puerto Lempira, Departamento de gracias a dios, Honduras · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Hans Norelius from Älvsjö, Sweden · CC BY 2.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Broad-billed Motmot and Keel-billed Motmot.