Photo: lsirvio / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Andean Potoo
Nyctibius maculosus
Andean Potoo (Nyctibius maculosus) — Nightjars & Allies of South America.
Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Andean Potoo (Nyctibius maculosus) is a member of the Nyctibiidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 170 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 maculosus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 170 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Nyctibiidae
- Order
- Nyctibiiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Andean 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 Andean Potoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Andean Potoo (Nyctibius maculosus) is a member of the Nyctibiidae family, within the order Nyctibiiformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA Venezuela to Bolivia.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 170 g, with a wing length of about 27.1 cm and a tail of around 19.6 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 117,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Andean Potoo?
The Andean Potoo is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 170 g.
Where does the Andean Potoo live?
The Andean Potoo is found across South America with a range covering SA Venezuela to Bolivia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Andean Potoo belong to?
The Andean Potoo (Nyctibius maculosus) belongs to the Nyctibiidae family, in the order Nyctibiiformes.
What does the Andean Potoo eat?
The Andean Potoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Andean Potoo migrate?
The Andean Potoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Andean 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 Andean Potoo make?
1 real field recording of the Andean Potoo — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Andean Potoo's range?
The Andean Potoo has a mapped global range of about 117,000 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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