Andean Potoo

Nyctibius maculosus

Least ConcernRareInvertebratesForestScrapeMedium · 170 g

About the Andean Potoo

The Andean potoo is a species of bird in the family Nyctibiidae. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

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The Andean potoo is 34 to 40.5 cm (13 to 16 in) long. One male weighed 195 g (6.9 oz) and two females 145 and 185 g (5.1 and 6.5 oz). The male's upperparts are brown with white, buff, tawny, and black streaks, speckles, and spots. The median wing coverts are white and show as a broad strip on the closed wing. The chin and throat are white or grayish white with a cinnamon wash on the lower throat. The breast is brown with a buff or tawny band separating it from the buffish upper belly and flanks. The breast has blackish brown speckles and the belly and flanks have brown bars and vermiculation. Voice: The Andean potoo's song is "an almost queulous wailing shriek, kwaaaanh, given at intervals of 3-5 seconds". It also produces "a slow, hollow wok wok wok" and "a quieter bu bu bu calls."

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it lives

Regular rangeRare visitor

Recorded as a rare visitor in Venezuela, Bolivia.

When to see it

Peak activity in November · a resident species across most of its range

Easily confused with

Learn the Andean Potoo for real

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