Great Potoo
Great PotooGreat PotooGreat PotooGreat Potoo

Great Potoo

Nyctibius grandis

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

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve
29 Verified sightings at Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve From 2019 to 2026
5,775 Verified sightings across all 35 parks From 2019 to 2026
April Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 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 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve

Northern Potoo
LC

Northern Potoo

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Nyctibius jamaicensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

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

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Great Potoo in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Great Potoo sighting in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, based on 29 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Great Potoo in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve?

April has the highest sighting rate for Great Potoo in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve in our monthly data.

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