Potoo Bird Sightings

Few Potoo Bird Sightings  are more mysterious and under-studied than the cryptic potoos of Latin America. These champions of camouflage blend in seamlessly with their surroundings, remaining hidden from prey and predators alike. Their huge mouths, however, allow them to gulp up flying insects with ease during their night-time hunting forays.

Their nocturnal habits and haunting call have fueled legends and folktales across the Amazon rainforest where five of the seven species can be found. The strange owl-like whoops and deep guttural calls have frightened guests at Rainforest Expeditions’ Tambopata rainforest lodge and given rise to stories of a child crying for its mother, a Chieftain’s daughter mourning a suitor killed by her father, or even the death of a witch cursed by the moon (Nyctibius grandis).

Exploring the Potoo Bird in Detail: Masters of Camouflage and Silent Night Hunters

Potoos are insectivorous and nocturnal and are related to nightjars like the Eastern Whip-poor-will and Chuck-will’s Widow but lack the bristles around their mouths. During the day, they lie motionless and almost indistinguishable from the tips of dead branches or tree stumps they roost on, aiming to mimic their surroundings. When they detect a potential threat, their cryptic posture shifts into a “freeze” position that makes them even more indistinguishable from the limb they’re resting on.

They have tiny folds along their upper eyelids that open a small slit to sense movement around them, despite their eyes being closed. If the danger passes, they’ll relax into their more normal perching position.