Rufous-capped motmot, Baryphthengus ruficapillus.Blue-capped motmot, Momotus coeruliceps.

Russet-crowned motmot, Momotus mexicanus.

There are however also several species where the tail is 'normal', these being the tody motmot, blue-throated motmot, rufous-capped motmot, and the Amazonian populations of the rufous and broad-billed motmots. It has since been shown that these barbs are weakly attached and fall off due to abrasion with substrates and during routine preening. This was based on inaccurate reports made by Charles William Beebe. It was however wrongly believed in the past that the motmot shaped its tail by plucking part of the feather web to leave the racket. In several species of motmots, the barbs near the ends of the two longest (central) tail feathers are weak and fall off due to abrasion with substrates, or fall off during preening, leaving a length of bare shaft, thus creating the racket shape of the tail. There is also evidence that the male tail, which is slightly larger than the female tail, functions as a sexual signal in the turquoise-browed motmot. This form of interspecific pursuit-deterrent signal provides a benefit to both the motmot and the predator: the display prevents the motmot from wasting time and energy fleeing, and the predator avoids a costly pursuit that is unlikely to result in capture. Research indicates that motmots perform the wag-display when they detect predators (based on studies on turquoise-browed motmot) and that the display is likely to communicate that the motmot is aware of the predator and is prepared to escape. Motmots often move their tails back and forth in a wag-display that commonly draws attention to an otherwise hidden bird. The eggs hatch after about 20 days, and the young leave the nest after another 30 days.

Some species form large colonies of up to 40 paired individuals. Like most of the Coraciiformes, motmots nest in tunnels in banks, laying about four white eggs. In Nicaragua and Costa Rica, motmots have been observed feeding on poison dart frogs. Motmots eat small prey such as insects and lizards, and will also take fruit.

Bluetail bird