Trinidad motmot (Momotus bahamensis), Tyrrel's Bay, Tobago
The Trinidad motmot is endemic to the forests of Trinidad and Tobago. Despite the bold colours and large size, it can be difficult to see in the forest gloom. I was lucky to catch this one in relatively good light. A relative of the Old World rollers, it feeds on lizards, insects, fruit and snails. It cracks open the shells of snails to get at the flesh using a stone as an anvil, in the manner of the European song thrush (Turdus philomelos).
On being approached by a predator -- there are ocelots on Trinidad -- the motmot rapidly switches its prominent racquet tail from side to side. This has the effect of saving both parties energy: the motmot signals that the predator has been spotted and that the prey is agile enough to escape; it therefore does not bother to expend energy on fleeing. The ocelot knows that pursuing the motmot will probably be a waste of energy which might be conserved for more successful projects; it therefore does not bother to try to catch the motmot.
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Trinidadmotmot
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All images are the property of the photographer and may not be reproduced, copied, downloaded, transmitted or used in any way without the written permission of the photographer, who can be contacted by registering with flickr and using flickrmail.
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Trinidad motmot (Momotus bahamensis), Tyrrel's Bay, Tobago
The Trinidad motmot is endemic to the forests of Trinidad and Tobago. Despite the bold colours and large size, it can be difficult to see in the forest gloom. I was lucky to catch this one in relatively good light. A relative of the Old World rollers, it feeds on lizards, insects, fruit and snails. It cracks open the shells of snails to get at the flesh using a stone as an anvil, in the manner of the European song thrush (Turdus philomelos).
On being approached by a predator -- there are ocelots on Trinidad -- the motmot rapidly switches its prominent racquet tail from side to side. This has the effect of saving both parties energy: the motmot signals that the predator has been spotted and that the prey is agile enough to escape; it therefore does not bother to expend energy on fleeing. The ocelot knows that pursuing the motmot will probably be a waste of energy which might be conserved for more successful projects; it therefore does not bother to try to catch the motmot.
220321 440
Trinidadmotmot
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All images are the property of the photographer and may not be reproduced, copied, downloaded, transmitted or used in any way without the written permission of the photographer, who can be contacted by registering with flickr and using flickrmail.
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