The Great potoo (Nyctibius grandis) is a nocturnal bird widely distributed in Central and South America. The most well-known characteristic of this bird is its unique moaning growl that the Great potoo vocalizes throughout the night, creating an unsettling atmosphere in the Neotropics with its nocturnal sounds.
The Great potoo has a large head in relation to its body. The eyes are also very large with a brown to yellow iris and has a short but broad beak. Their wings are elliptical in shape and the tail is elongated. The feather colors vary with white, gray, black, and burgundy. The tail colors match with that of the rest of the body with the exception of white bars that can be seen going across the tail laterally.
Great potoos occur from southern Mexico through northeastern Guatemala and through most of Central America down through South America as far as southeastern Brazil and Bolivia. These birds inhabit humid to semi-humid forested habitats. They are found mostly in dense lowland forests, forest edges, and clearings and may also range into foothills, second-growth, and open woodlands (including plantations) and are sometimes seen around meadows.
These are shy and solitary creatures. Great potoos are nocturnal predators that usually perch unnoticed high above the ground while foraging, hawking when prey is spotted. After the pounce, they almost always return to their previous perch. Normally, during the day they perch upright on a tree stump, and are overlooked because they resemble part of the stump; this is a camouflage, not just by coloration, but a camouflage by the setting. These birds can be located at night by the reflection of light from their eyes as they sit vertically on a post, roost, or angled-tree trunk.
Great potoos are carnivores, mainly insectivores. Their prey consists mostly of large flying insects, especially large beetles, katydids, crickets, and grasshoppers. Bats and birds are taken occasionally as well.
Great potoos are monogamous. They form pairs and maintain their territories for a long time. The breeding season typically occurs from February to August; however, depending on the portion of their range breeding birds can be met almost year-round. Great potoos construct a slight depression on a thick tree branch, at least 10 m (33 ft) above ground. The female lays a single white (slightly spotted) egg measuring about 5.2 cm × 3.8 cm (2.0 in × 1.5 in) and incubates it for about 30 days. Few details are known of the brooding behavior, but about a month elapses before the offspring is seen alone at the nest. After about 5 weeks the nestling is a two-thirds version of the adult, but with a lighter build, paler plumage, shorter tail, and smaller bill with less rictal bristles. The fledging period must be at least 2 months. After this time span, the young does not return to the nest site.
The Great potoo is not threatened at present but occurs frequently in areas of less disturbed forests and is often found to be rare along the edges of its range. The clearing of forests is the only conservation threat known to this bird.
According to IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Great potoo is 500,000-4,999,999 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.
