[2] They are known to eat small tree snails, and to use forest floor rocks as 'anvils' to crack open the hard shells of these prey items to access the soft edible bodies within.

The first nine or ten species of Momotus were recognised in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, although the first comprehensive attempt to determine genus differentiation did not occur until 1923 by Frank Chapman.

In 1945, James L. Peters classified Chapman’s "blue-crowned" group into M. momota in accordance with Carl Eduard Hellmayr’s "biogeographic species concept."

[5] Taxonomic revision of the Momotus genus has shown that phenotypical divergence of the Trinidad motmot occurred relatively recently and at a much faster rate than any other species in this group.

There is, however, a possibility that these birds started differentiating long before rising sea levels severed the land connection to the Paria Peninsula in Venezuela.

[5] The Trinidad motmot has been totally isolated for at least the last 10–15,000 years, likely facilitating the fixation of unique alleles through genetic drift and natural selection.

Because overwater dispersion is rarely seen in motmots, further phenotypic differentiation in the foreseeable future is very likely, especially with sea levels predicted to continue rising.

These birds possess unique, paddle-like tail feathers, known as racquets, that are dark blue basally, with a broad black tip.

[4] Trinidad motmots have demonstrated an ability to live and function within urban and artificial habitats, including plantations, pastures, and even rural gardens.

This adaptability may contribute to its resilience, as there are no known major threats to the species, suggesting that the population is likely to remain stable or potentially increase in the coming decades.

The use of rocks as anvils may allow these birds to access nutrient-rich prey, potentially enhancing their survival during periods when other food sources are scarce.

Other Momotidae species like the blue-capped motmot have been observed striking live animal prey against tree branches and other hard objects to kill before consumption.

[7] Although there is limited information regarding moulting patterns in Trinidad motmot individuals it is estimated to be a slow process, lasting around four months from June to October.