Great potoo: The ‘tree stump’ bird with a haunting growl and can see with its eyes closed
Name: Great potoo (Nyctibius grandis)
Where it lives: Central and South America
What it eats: Large insects, bats and small birds
Why it’s awesome: The great potoo is a master of disguise. Its mottled gray-brown feathers and ability to remain perfectly still often cause it to be mistaken for a tree branch or stump, helping it evade detection by predators.
Native to the forests and tropical lowlands of Central and South America, this nocturnal bird can grow to 24 inches (60 centimeters) tall and has a wingspan of more than 28 inches (70 cm). Its grey, brown and white plumage helps it blend seamlessly with the bark of the trees it lands on, making it nearly undetectable by other animals.
By day, great potoos remain silent and still in the trees. But at night, they become active hunters. Their large, owl-like eyes, which protrude from the sides of their heads, provide excellent vision in low-light conditions. Equipped with a large, flattened beak and mouth, these birds are well-adapted to snatching prey such as flying insects and bats out of the air.
Great potoos also have slits in their eyelids, which enable them to see when their eyes are closed. These “notches” help the birds to sense light and movement through their shut eyelids, so they can detect predators and prey even when resting.
Great potoos are also unusual thanks to their distinctive calls. Throughout the night, they emit a loud, moaning growl. This ghostly call has earned the bird a mythical status in local folklore, with some communities in South America believing the sounds to be children calling for lost parents. These calls are used for communication and to defend their territories.
Potoos are monogamous birds, forming lifelong pairs that share the responsibilities of incubation and care for their young. Female great potoos lay a single egg in a natural depression on a tree branch, so they rely on their camouflage and sight to protect themselves and their offspring.
The incubation period for great potoo eggs is approximately 30 days, with both parents sharing the responsibility of incubating the egg. Due to their elusive nature, not much is known about their lifespan – but they are believed to live for around 12 to 14 years, like other bird species.
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