Yucatán Poorwill
Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCaprimulgiformes (Nightjars and Allies)
- FamilyCaprimulgidae (Nightjars and Allies)
- GenusNyctiphrynus (Neotropical Poorwills)
- SpeciesNyctiphrynus yucatanicus (Yucatán Poorwill)
About the Yucatán Poorwill
The Yucatan poorwill (Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus) is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in the Yucatán Peninsula of Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico. The Yucatan poorwill has sometimes been placed in genus Otophanes, which was later merged into the current Nyctiphrynus. It, the ocellated poorwill (N. ocellatus), and the eared poorwill (N. mcleodii) are sister species. Especially it and the eared poorwill are believed to be the closest living relatives due to the similarity in songs and plumage characteristics. The Yucatan poorwill is monotypic.
The Yucatan poorwill is 19.5 to 22 cm (7.7 to 8.7 in) long, making it the smallest species of nightjar in the Yucatán Peninsula. One male weighed 21.3 g (0.75 oz) and one female 27.7 g (0.98 oz). Both sexes have a brown morph; there is also a rufous morph that is much more prevalent among females. The former is mostly dark grayish brown with a variety of dusky, gray, and black vermiculation and streaks. Its face is dark sooty brown to brownish black with brown vermiculation. It has a faint buffy collar on its nape and a white patch on the throat. The underparts are brown... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Tikal National Park
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tikal National Park | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | |
| 2 | Calakmul Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 3 | Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 4 | Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 5 | Biotopo Cerro Cahuí | 🇬🇹 Guatemala |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Yucatán Poorwill in Tikal National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Yucatán Poorwill sighting in Tikal National Park, based on 42 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Yucatán Poorwill in Tikal National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Yucatán Poorwill in Tikal National Park in our monthly data.