The king of the woods

Faraaz Abdool, birder and photographer, tells us about the Trinidad Motmot which may be seen all over Tobago. He shares some of this fearless bird’s quirky habits.

Four years ago, the iconic blue-crowned motmot of the neotropics ceased to exist, well, taxonomically speaking. Prior to 2016, there was a significant problem with blue-crowned motmots. Found throughout Central America, much of South America as well as TT, keen observers began noticing that all blue-crowned motmots weren’t created equally. What may have been subtle differences when the species was first described eventually became defining characteristics of six separate species of motmots.

We in TT have been blessed with a very special gift due to the split in the blue-crowned motmot complex, in the form of our very own motmot found nowhere else on the planet. Momotus bahamensis, the Trinidad motmot became the second endemic bird species that can be found within our twin-island republic.

The trouble with the Trinidad motmot is that on its namesake island, it is a shy, retiring resident of inland, undisturbed forest – whereas on Tobago it can be seen in the rainforest, in the mangrove, along the highway, even at the coast! It is almost impossible to not see a Trinidad motmot while on Tobago; a fact that has led some to suggest that a more apt name for this bird may have been Tobago motmot!

Nomenclature aside, the Trinidad motmot is truly a remarkable bird. It starts its life deep in a burrow, only emerging when it is completely fledged, ie it is the same size as an adult bird and has its adult plumage – differences between adults and juveniles are very subtle.

Spectacularly plumaged, a Trinidad motmot is truly a sight to behold. Still sporting the signature blue crown, a jet black mask surrounds crimson eyes leading to a strong, serrated black bill. Its front and underparts are brownish rufous, with a couple blue-edged black feathers in the middle of the bird’s chest. The back of the bird is generally greenish, with a mild variable brown wash to its nape, and neon blue edging to its flight feathers. Its exceptionally long tail is green at the base and eventually fades into blue at the tip.

If this excessive colour combination isn’t enough, the central tail feathers of the Trinidad motmot have another trick. About four-fifths to the end of the feather, the barbs are substantially weaker than the rest and eventually fall off – leading to the unique racquet shape that is one of this species’ most familiar features.

As previously mentioned, it takes a trained eye to spot a young Trinidad motmot. Most conspicuously, they lack the racquet-shaped tail as the required feathers may still be growing. Although this feature is an indicator of a juvenile bird, adult Trinidad motmots periodically experience a moult, where they shed old feathers and grow new ones. This tends to happen after the breeding season, with both parents regularly in and out of an earthen burrow, feathers can become rather ragged.

A close look at the face of a Trinidad motmot can indicate the bird’s age. The jet black mask of adult birds is mixed in with a few white feathers on young birds, giving the appearance of a sooty mask. The most reliable field mark for identifying a juvenile Trinidad motmot however, is the absence of the black chest patch.

The reason these subtleties come into play for identification of juvenile birds is that their behaviour is not much different from that of adults. We’re accustomed to young birds being needy, awkward creatures consistently petitioning their parents for edible handouts. Once a Trinidad motmot emerges for the first time, it is ready to begin foraging on its own and does not beg its parent.

Trinidad motmots do forge long-lasting bonds, however. Male and female pairs tend to stick together all year and have been known to select a preferred nest months before the breeding season begins. Courtship is an advanced procedure and involves special vocalisations, tail movements and, most importantly, gifts.

Trinidad motmots are omnivores, feeding on a wide variety of fruits, invertebrates as well as small vertebrates. Intelligent birds, they are one of the few tool-using species, an individual observed one in Charlotteville in 2013 using a specific stone to crack open snail shells. Many other preferred stones have been discovered with the shattered remains of snails, beetles and crabs littering the surroundings. They are fearless creatures; there is a riveting account by one of my mentors who was leading a birding trip to Tobago in 2007 of an overambitious Trinidad motmot that lunged at the tail of a red-tailed boa. Sadly, only the snake made it out of that scrimmage alive. Too small to make a meal out of the chance encounter, the reptile left the lifeless body of its vividly-coloured assailant for human examination.

Always on the lookout for an opportunity, Trinidad motmots usually perch motionless beneath the canopy, uttering a soft “whoop” occasionally. Frogs, lizards, small snakes, even smaller birds are on the menu. They have even been known to target adult hummingbirds. Most often their prey consists of beetles, spiders and other arthropods, however. Much like antbirds and some woodcreepers, they have been known to follow swarms of army ants in the forest, picking up anything that seeks to avoid the marauding ants.

Overall, the aptly named King of the Woods has an imposing, omniscient presence especially across Tobago. Even while hiking up Little Tobago to catch a glimpse of red-billed tropicbirds, one may be surprised by the sudden movement of a Trinidad motmot gliding across the trail. Their bright greens and earthy browns allow them to sit undetected by the casual observer, hiding in plain sight. Only the tick-tock of their pendulous tail may betray their position, if they allow it.

It is fair to say that every citizen of TT has seen a Trinidad Motmot before, its presence on our $5 bill indicates its significance to those who came before us – and rightly so. To truly appreciate its otherworldly beauty one needs to experience it in real life though, and not in print.