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| Turquoise-browed Motmot |
Differences among the observations of these authors and others (see also, Paynter 1955) suggest considerable plasticity in the reproductive pattern of this Turquoise-browed Motmot. Here we present data on E. superciliosa taken at yet a different type of breeding site: elevated apertures
in the walls and ceilings of rooms of archaeological ruins at Uxmal, Kabah, and Sayil, Yucatan, Mexico.
Observations were made at Uxmal on 19 June and 3 and 4 July 1979, and at Kabah and Sayil on 3 July 1979. On all dates, Turquoise-browed Motmots were abundant (at least 50) near The Governor’s Palace and The Nunnery Quadrangle at Uxmal. Many of the birds were carrying food to nestlings, which were vocalizing in apertures, rectangular and circular in cross section, which had been made by the Maya in the walls and ceilings of both the inner and outer rooms of these structures. Several rooms sheltered more than one pair of motmots. Here, and at Kabah and Sayil, we saw no
agonistic behavior or visible manifestation of territoriality.
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| Turquoise-browed Motmot |
On 3 and 4 July, recently fledged young (as judged by their size and flight ability) were observed at
Uxmal; they uttered vocalizations similar to, but softer than, those given by adults. Twice on 3 July, and once on 4 July, an adult was flushed from the same clutch of three (clean) white eggs deposited on a thin layer of fine-particulate breakdown on the floor of a short, broad (approximately 40 cm length, 25 cm width, 14 cm height) hole located 2.5 m above floor level in the inner room of a 2-room complex within The Governor’s Palace at Uxmal. This observation supports Skutch’s (1945) judgment that the attribution by Gaumer (1881-1882) of relatively elaborate nests to well (cenote?)-
nesting Yucatan Turquoise-browed Motmots was questionable.
Together with our sightings of recently fledged young on these dates, this observation also supports the data of Klaas (1968) taken at a bank-burrowing colony near Champoton, Campeche on 9 July 1962 and his hypothesis that these motmots may rear two broods per season. Recent work on this species near Escircega, Campeche, by Orejuela (1977), however, indicates that early July clutches in that area represent late starts and renestings. An additional observation made at Uxmal is of interest in regard to potential helpers at the nest in this motmot: On 4 July, we watched three individuals of similar size (apparently adult, but rectrices were hidden) perched on a rock within 30 cm of each other with prey in their bills; one held a large scorpion.
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| Turquoise-browed Motmot |
The group appeared to be waiting to enter the chamber from which we watched. Unfortunately, they flushed at the approach of other visitors to the area, and we could not continue observation. I thank James Reddell and Norberto Gonzalez for their assistance.
Turquoise-browed Motmot During my early years in Central America, few birds so attracted
and delightedm e as the motmots. The first speciesin this beautiful family whosen est-lifeI studiedw as the Turquoise-browed Motmot (Eumomot as uperciliosa) of which I found two occupiedb urrows (of
the race euroaustris) in the Lancetilla Valley near Tela, Honduras, in 1930, and two more (of the race sylvestrisn) ear Los Amates in the Motagua Valley of Guatemala, in 1932. The following year, 1933, I was able to work out the life history of the Blue-throated Green Motmot (Aspatha gularis) in the high mountains of Guatemala, and in publishingI gave precedenceto this more mature and thorough study (Auk, 62: 489-517, 1945).
