Great Potoo
Nyctibius grandis
Embed This Widget
Add the script tag and a data attribute to embed this widget.
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/birdfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>
<div data-birdfyi="bird" data-slug="nyctibius-grandis"></div>Embed via iframe for maximum compatibility.
<iframe src="https://birdfyi.com/iframe/bird/nyctibius-grandis/" width="420" height="400" frameborder="0" style="border:0;border-radius:10px;max-width:100%" loading="lazy"></iframe>Paste this URL in WordPress, Medium, or any oEmbed-compatible platform.
https://birdfyi.com/bird/nyctibius-grandis/Add a dynamic SVG badge to your README or docs.
[](https://birdfyi.com/bird/nyctibius-grandis/)Use the native HTML custom element.
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/birdfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>
<birdfyi-bird slug="nyctibius-grandis"></birdfyi-bird>Acerca de
The largest potoo (48-60 cm) with enormous eyes and a massive gape. Pale grey-brown plumage with bold streaks and vermiculations. Found in humid forests from Mexico to Brazil. Nocturnal insectivore with an extraordinary, deeply booming growling call. Perches upright on branches by day.
Physical Description
| Measurement | Value | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Envergadura | 74,8 cm | 29.4 in |
| Peso | 492,0 g | 17.35 oz |
Identificación
Plumaje
Predominantly greyish-white with intricate black and brown vermiculations and streaks; underparts paler with fine dark freckling; large orange-yellow eyes; mimics broken branch when perched upright; largest potoo species.
Habitat & Range
Distribución geográfica
Found from Mexico and Trinidad south through Central America and South America to Argentina. Resident in forest edge and woodland up to 1,500 m.
Diet & Feeding
Nocturnal insectivore and occasional small vertebrate predator; hunts from perch by sight, targeting large moths and beetles.
Estado de conservación
Comportamiento y reproducción
Nidificación
Nest type: NO. Fledging: 55 days.
Tamaño de la puesta
1
Sonido
Canto
Loud, haunting 'BWAAAOW'; booming wail; very large bird produces deep, resonant, mournful cry; carries far through tropical forest at night; deeply unsettling sound
Taxonomía
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Orden | Caprimulgiformes (Chotacabras y Vencejos) |
| Familia | Nyctibiidae (Nictibios) |
| Genus | Nyctibius |
| Especies | Nyctibius grandis |
Distribution
Great Potoo has been recorded in 4 countries.
{# Distribution Map — simplified SVG world map with highlighted countries. Expects `country_codes` variable: list of ISO alpha-2 codes (e.g. ["US", "CA", "MX"]). Uses Alpine.js to toggle classes on country paths. #}countries highlighted
External Databases
Preguntas frecuentes
What does the Great Potoo eat?
Where does the Great Potoo live?
Is the Great Potoo endangered?
How does the Great Potoo nest?
What does the Great Potoo sound like?
How big is the Great Potoo?
What order and family does the Great Potoo belong to?
Similar Birds
Other species in the Nyctibiidae family