motmot

motmot
/mot"mot/, n.
any of several tropical and subtropical American birds of the family Momotidae, related to the kingfishers, having a serrate bill and chiefly greenish and bluish plumage.
[1625-35; < AmerSp; repetitive compound, imitating the bird's note]

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▪ bird
 any of about eight species of long-tailed forest birds of the family Momotidae (order Coraciiformes) of Central and South America. In six species the two central tail feathers are elongated and become racket-tipped as very brittle barbs (branches) along the shaft snap off in preening. Motmots are about 17 to 50 cm (6.5 to 20 inches) long and are mostly brownish green, often with touches of bright blue on the head or wings.

      Motmots take flying insects and pluck a variety of other invertebrates and small vertebrates from branches. When perched, a motmot often swings the tail from side to side or holds it askew. The nest is a hole dug with the downcurved bill, generally in a sandbank.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Motmot — Mot mot, n. [Cf. {Momot}.] (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of several species of long tailed, passerine birds of the genus {Momotus}, having a strong serrated beak. In most of the species the two long middle tail feathers are racket shaped at the tip, when… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Motmot — Motmot, Vogel, so v.w. Momot …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Motmot — Motmot, s. Sägeracken [Abb. 1572] …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • motmot — [mät′mät΄] n. [AmSp, echoic of its note] any of a family (Momotidae) of long tailed, chiefly green, coraciiform birds of tropical and subtropical America, usually nesting in tunnels they make along river banks …   English World dictionary

  • Motmot — Motmots Blue crowned Motmot Momotus momota Scientific classification Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • Motmot — Momotidae Momotidés …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Motmot — tikrieji momotai statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Momotus angl. motmot vok. Motmot, m rus. момот, m pranc. motmot, m ryšiai: platesnis terminas – momotiniai siauresnis terminas – meksikinis momotas siauresnis terminas –… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • motmot — tikrieji momotai statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Momotus angl. motmot vok. Motmot, m rus. момот, m pranc. motmot, m ryšiai: platesnis terminas – momotiniai siauresnis terminas – meksikinis momotas siauresnis terminas –… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • motmot — noun Etymology: New Latin momot, motmot Date: 1837 any of a family (Momotidae) of long tailed mostly green nonpasserine birds of Central and South American tropical forests …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • motmot — /ˈmɒtmɒt/ (say motmot) noun any of the tropical and subtropical American birds constituting the family Momotidae, related to the kingfishers, and having a serrate bill and chiefly greenish and bluish plumage. {American Spanish; imitative} …  

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