Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Great Potoo
Nyctibius grandis
Great Potoo (Nyctibius grandis) — 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 Great Potoo (Nyctibius grandis) is a member of the Nyctibiidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 547 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 grandis
Where it lives
Southern Mexico to Panama through South America to central Bolivia and south-central, southeastern Brazil
Quick facts
- Weight
- 547 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Nyctibiidae
- Order
- Nyctibiiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Great 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 Great Potoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Great Potoo (Nyctibius grandis) is a member of the Nyctibiidae family, within the order Nyctibiiformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA s Mexico to Panama through South America to c Bolivia and sc, se Brazil.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 547 g, with a wing length of about 37.4 cm and a tail of around 25.1 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 8.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Great Potoo?
The Great Potoo is a large bird that weighs around 547 g.
Where does the Great Potoo live?
The Great Potoo is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA s Mexico to Panama through South America to c Bolivia and sc, se Brazil, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Great Potoo belong to?
The Great Potoo (Nyctibius grandis) belongs to the Nyctibiidae family, in the order Nyctibiiformes.
What does the Great Potoo eat?
The Great Potoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Great Potoo migrate?
The Great Potoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Great 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 Great Potoo make?
1 real field recording of the Great 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 Great Potoo's range?
The Great Potoo has a mapped global range of about 8.5 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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