Amazonian Motmot

• anatomíaThe central feathers of its tail take on their characteristic racket shape because the weakly attached barbs in that section fall off with preening and abrasion; it was long believed that the bird trimmed them with its bill.
• The rackets on its tail do not grow that way: the barbs along the middle stretch are weaker and come away with preening and wear, leaving the shaft bare and the racket at the tip.
• It swings its tail like a pendulum while perched, and studies suggest this is a signal aimed at predators: it tells them they have been spotted and that chasing it will be pointless.
• It nests in tunnels it digs into earth banks, sometimes more than a metre and a half long, and pairs can spend months digging before laying.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)

Habitat and environment

Understorey of rainforest, secondary forest, coffee plantations and gardens of tropical America

Sexual maturity

12 months

Gestation / incubation

21 days

Litter / clutch size

3 eggs

Sources consulted: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazonian_motmot