Silhouette: Dominic Sherony (photo) and Albertonykus (silhouette) · PhyloPic

Great Potoo

Nyctibius grandis

Silhouette: Dominic Sherony (photo) and Albertonykus (silhouette) · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Corcovado National Park

1 Verified sightings at Corcovado National Park From 2019 to 2026

5,775 Verified sightings across all 35 parks From 2019 to 2026

🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted at dawn and dusk

About the Great Potoo

The great potoo or grand potoo (Nyctibius grandis) is the largest potoo species and is widely distributed in Central and South America. Much like owls, this species is nocturnal. It preys on large insects and small vertebrates, which it captures in sallies from high perches.

The great potoo is best known for its distinctive moaning growl, which echoes through the Neotropical night. The great potoo was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Lineus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with all the nightjar like species in the genus Caprimulgus and coined the binomial name Caprimulgus grandis. The great potoo is now one of the seven potoos placed in the genus Nyctibius that was introduced in 1816 by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot. The genus name is from Ancient Greek nuktibios meaning "night-living", from nux "night" and bios "life". The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.

The great potoo has a large head in relation to its body, large, dark brown eyes, and a short but broad beak. Their wings are elliptical in shape, their tail is elongated,... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Corcovado National Park

Nyctibius griseus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~20%
2	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~20%
3	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~20%
4	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
5	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~10%
6	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
7	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
8	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
9	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
10	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
11	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
12	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
13	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
14	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
15	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
16	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
17	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
18	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
19	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
20	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
21	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
22	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
23	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	<5%
24	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
25	Chapada dos Guimarães National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
26	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
27	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
28	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
29	Emas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
30	Brownsberg Nature Park	🇸🇷 Suriname	Insufficient data
31	Chingaza National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
32	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	Insufficient data
33	Serra dos Órgãos National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
34	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
35	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data

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