Photo: Jose getulio de oliveira / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Long-tailed Potoo
Nyctibius aethereus
Long-tailed Potoo (Nyctibius aethereus) — Nightjars & Allies of South America.
Found across 5 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
See what's near you right nowThe Long-tailed Potoo (Nyctibius aethereus) is a member of the Nyctibiidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 440 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 aethereus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 440 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Nyctibiidae
- Order
- Nyctibiiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Long-tailed 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 Long-tailed Potoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Long-tailed Potoo (Nyctibius aethereus) is a species of bird in the Nyctibiidae family, part of the order Nyctibiiformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA Amazonia and se SA.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 440 g, with a wing length of about 33.2 cm and a tail of around 30.1 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 5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Long-tailed Potoo?
The Long-tailed Potoo is a large bird that weighs around 440 g.
Where does the Long-tailed Potoo live?
The Long-tailed Potoo is found across South America with a range covering SA Amazonia and se SA, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Long-tailed Potoo belong to?
The Long-tailed Potoo (Nyctibius aethereus) belongs to the Nyctibiidae family, in the order Nyctibiiformes.
What does the Long-tailed Potoo eat?
The Long-tailed Potoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Long-tailed Potoo migrate?
The Long-tailed Potoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Long-tailed 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 Long-tailed Potoo make?
1 real field recording of the Long-tailed Potoo can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Long-tailed Potoo's range?
The Long-tailed Potoo has a mapped global range of about 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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