Northern Potoo vs Rufous Potoo
Nyctibius jamaicensis compared with Phyllaemulor bracteatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Northern Potoo | Rufous Potoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nyctibius jamaicensis | Phyllaemulor bracteatus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Nyctibiidae | Nyctibiidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) | 32.5 cm (12.8 in) |
| Weight | 260.425 g (9.19 oz) | 50.666666666666664 g (1.79 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal sit-and-wait predator; sallies from a fixed perch to capture large flying insects, especially moths … | Night hunter using still-perch strategy; catches large moths, beetles, and flying bugs in single powerful … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Northern Potoo
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
Rufous Potoo
Wailing, mournful whistle; descending 'woooo' with eerie quality; calls solitarily at night from Amazonian forest; softer and higher than Great Potoo; haunting tone
Geographic Range & Migration
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.
Rufous Potoo
Found in the Amazon basin from Colombia and Venezuela south to Bolivia and Brazil. Resident in lowland tropical rainforest; camouflaged by day.
Conservation Status
Northern Potoo
Rufous Potoo
How to Tell Them Apart
Northern Potoo
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.
Rufous Potoo
Distinctly rufous-chestnut overall with dark brown streaks and pale buff vermiculations; underparts paler rufous with dark barring; large yellow eyes; richest coloration among potoos, unlike the greyer larger species.
About These Birds
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.
Rufous Potoo
A small potoo (21-25 cm) of lowland tropical forests from Costa Rica to Brazil. Warm rufous-brown plumage with intricate barring. Nocturnal insectivore, perching motionlessly during the day to resemble a broken branch. The smallest and most colorful member of the potoo family.