About the Common Potoo
The common potoo, or kakuy, or urutau is one of seven species of birds within the genus Nyctibius. It is notable for its large, yellow eyes and a wide mouth. Potoos are nocturnal and are related to nightjars and frogmouths. They lack the characteristic bristles around the mouths of true nightjars.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
Common potoos are 34–38 cm (13–15 in) long with mottled red-brown, white, black, and grey cryptic plumage. This disruptive coloration allows the potoo to camouflage into branches. The sexes appear similar, and cannot be distinguished upon observation. The eyes can appear as giant black dots with a small yellow ring, or as giant yellow irises with small pupils due to voluntary pupil constriction. The potoo has two or three slits in the eyelid so that it can see when the eyelids are closed; these notches are always open.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Common Potoo sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Great PotooNyctibius grandisThe great potoo has a large head in relation to its body, large, dark brown eyes, and a short but broad beak.
Northern PotooNyctibius jamaicensisIt is a fairly large bird with a length of 38–46 centimetres.
Long-tailed PotooNyctibius aethereusThe long-tailed potoo is 42 to 58 cm (17 to 23 in) long and weighs 280 to 447 g (9.9 to 15.8 oz).
Learn the Common Potoo for real
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