Long-tailed Potoo vs Northern Potoo

Nyctibius aethereus مقارنةً بـ Nyctibius jamaicensis

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Side-by-Side Comparison

السمة Long-tailed Potoo Northern Potoo
الاسم العلمي Nyctibius aethereus Nyctibius jamaicensis
الرتبة Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
الفصيلة Nyctibiidae Nyctibiidae
حالة الحفاظ Least Concern Least Concern
الطول
طول الجناح 66,4 cm (26.1 in) 58,0 cm (22.8 in)
الوزن 363,5 g (12.82 oz) 260,425 g (9.19 oz)
النظام الغذائي Strictly nocturnal; waits motionless on a perch then sallies to catch large flying insects, mainly … Nocturnal sit-and-wait predator; sallies from a fixed perch to capture large flying insects, especially moths …
عدد البيض في الوضع 1 1
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

الموائل المشتركة

Long-tailed Potoo only

بلا

Northern Potoo only

بلا

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Song & Call Comparison

Long-tailed Potoo

الغناء

Wailing, melancholy 'waaaa-waaaa'; descending mournful notes; calls from high forest canopy at night; lower and more drawn out than Common Potoo; eerie nocturnal sound

Northern Potoo

الغناء

Loud, mournful 'waaah' or 'pow-wow'; descending wail from Caribbean forest; calls persistently at night from tall perch; similar to Common Potoo but slightly deeper

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Geographic Range & Migration

Long-tailed Potoo

Found in disjunct populations in eastern Brazil, the Amazon basin, and the Guiana Shield south to Bolivia. Resident in humid forest and forest edge.

Northern Potoo

Found from Mexico and Jamaica through Central America. Resident in open woodland, forest edge, and semi-open habitats up to 1,500 m elevation.

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حالة الحفاظ

Least Concern

Long-tailed Potoo

Least Concern

Northern Potoo

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How to Tell Them Apart

Long-tailed Potoo

الريش

Dark brown overall with heavy blackish streaks and pale buff mottling; underparts barred brown and buff; notably long tail projects well beyond wing tips; darker and browner than Great Potoo …

Northern Potoo

الريش

Grey-brown upperparts with complex black and buff vermiculations; underparts pale grey with dark brown streaks; large yellow eyes; smaller and paler than Common Potoo; some individuals show more tawny-brown tones.

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About These Birds

Long-tailed Potoo

A large potoo (43-50 cm) with a notably long graduated tail. Rich brown plumage with dark streaking. Found in humid lowland and montane forests from Central America to Brazil. Nocturnal insectivore, catching large moths and beetles in sallying flights. Rare and seldom observed.

Northern Potoo

A medium-sized potoo (38-46 cm) found from Mexico through Central America and the Caribbean. Pale grey-brown plumage provides excellent camouflage against tree bark. Nocturnal insectivore with large eyes adapted for night vision. Known for its haunting, descending whistled song.

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