Common Potoo
Nyctibius griseus
The potoo has tiny gaps in its eyelids that allow it to watch for predators even when its eyes are fully shut.
- Scientific name
- Nyctibius griseus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Nyctibiiformes › Nyctibiidae › Nyctibius
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- decreasing
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Open woodlands, forest edges, and tropical savannas.
- Diet
- Flying insects, especially large moths, beetles, and termites.
- Range
- Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Venezuela
- Size
- 33-38 cm long, 150-250 g weight
- Lifespan
- 10-12 years
- Active
- nocturnal
- Threats
- Deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and pesticide use reducing prey populations.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. If spotted, maintain a respectful distance of at least 5 meters to avoid disrupting its camouflage. Do not attempt to touch or startle it; it relies on staying frozen to feel safe.
The common potoo , grey potoo , lesser potoo or poor-me-one ( Nyctibius griseus ), is a nocturnal bird which breeds in tropical Central and South America from Nicaragua to northern Argentina and northern Uruguay. The northern potoo ( N. jamaicensis ) was formerly classified as a subspecies of this species.
Photo: William Stephens, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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