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.
No
NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
Ca
CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
In
InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
Ar
ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
Ov
OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Pu
Pursuit predatorPursuit predation is a form of predation in which predators actively give chase to their prey, either solitarily or as a group. Pursuit predators r...
Al
AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
Te
TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
Mo
MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
So
SolitaryNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
G
starts withThe 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.