Photo: Luizalves1990 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Common Potoo
Nyctibius griseus
Common Potoo (Nyctibius griseus) — Nightjars & Allies of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Common Potoo (Nyctibius griseus) is a member of the Nyctibiidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 172 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Nyctibiiformes
- Family Nyctibiidae Potoos
- Genus Nyctibius
- Species griseus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 172 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Nyctibiidae
- Order
- Nyctibiiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Common Potoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Common Potoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Common Potoo (Nyctibius griseus) is a species of bird in the Nyctibiidae family, part of the order Nyctibiiformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Nicaragua to Uruguay.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 172 g, with a wing length of about 25.6 cm and a tail of around 18.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 13.8 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Common Potoo?
The Common Potoo is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 172 g.
Where does the Common Potoo live?
The Common Potoo is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Nicaragua to Uruguay, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Common Potoo belong to?
The Common Potoo (Nyctibius griseus) belongs to the Nyctibiidae family, in the order Nyctibiiformes.
What does the Common Potoo eat?
The Common Potoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Common Potoo migrate?
The Common Potoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Common Potoo endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Common Potoo make?
1 real field recording of the Common Potoo — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Common Potoo's range?
The Common Potoo has a mapped global range of about 13.8 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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