White-winged Potoo vs Rufous Potoo
Nyctibius leucopterus compared with Phyllaemulor bracteatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-winged Potoo | Rufous Potoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nyctibius leucopterus | Phyllaemulor bracteatus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Nyctibiidae | Nyctibiidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 36.8 cm (14.5 in) | 32.5 cm (12.8 in) |
| Weight | 87.5 g (3.09 oz) | 50.666666666666664 g (1.79 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; launches from a branch perch to catch large flying insects including hawk-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
White-winged Potoo
High, thin whistled wail; lighter and airier than other potoos; calls at night from Amazonian forest; descending mournful phrase; smaller size reflected in higher pitch
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
White-winged Potoo
Found in the eastern Amazon basin of Brazil and adjacent Suriname. Rare and restricted to upland forest in the Guiana Shield. Poorly known.
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
White-winged Potoo
Rufous Potoo
How to Tell Them Apart
White-winged Potoo
Small potoo; brown upperparts with black streaks and buff mottling; distinctive white or pale buff wing coverts creating paler wing panel; underparts pale buff with dark streaks; smaller and paler-winged …
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
White-winged Potoo
A small potoo (24-27 cm) recently described from the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil. White patches on wing coverts distinguish it from other potoos. Nocturnal insectivore of humid lowland forest. Classified as Near Threatened due to severe Atlantic Forest fragmentation.
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.