# 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.

- **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.

## About

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.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/608dddec-acda-4953-a747-c5b7bebe7f31
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/19667
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyctibius griseus
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/63558563/medium.jpg (William Stephens, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.