Potoos (Nyctibiidae)

Great Potoo (Nyctibius grandis) - HBW 5, p. 299

French: Grand Ibijau German: Riesentagschläfer Spanish: Nictibio Grande
Other common names: Grand Potoo

Taxonomy: Caprimulgus grandis J. F. Gmelin, 1789, Cayenne.
Currently accepted races are doubtfully valid, and perhaps represent merely extremes in broad geographical size trends and individual plumage variation. No taxonomically recognized variation in most of extensive range, despite great genetic divergence on opposite sides of Andes and possible population disjunction between Amazonia and Atlantic forest; may contain undescribed “cryptic” taxa. Two subspecies tentatively accepted.

Subspecies and Distribution:

guatemalensis Land & Schultz, 1963 - extreme S Mexico, Guatemala, and possibly Honduras.
grandis (J. F. Gmelin, 1789) - Nicaragua to N South America, where mostly E of Andes throughout Amazonia to N Paraguay, and in SE Brazil; may occur locally between Amazonia and Atlantic forest regions.

Least Concern

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15 photos

A well camouflaged individual. Locality Villavicencio, Meta Department, Colombia (ssp grandis)
Ken Havard 12 March 2010 33 weeks ago 4.3
resting bird Locality Pantanal, Mato Grosso State, Brazil
brendan keelan 1 September 2008 8 weeks ago 4.2
A bird and his cub. Locality Cáceres, Pantanal, Mato Grosso State, Brazil (ssp grandis)
Tatiana Colombo 11 November 2006 4 years ago 4.1
An adult perched on a tree trunk. Locality Embiara Lodge, Nhecolândia, Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil (ssp grandis)
Carmelo López 12 November 2011 1 year ago 4.1
Perched at daytime roost Locality Pantanal, Brazil (ssp grandis)
Philip Perry 2 September 2010 51 weeks ago 4
Great Potoo, lateral view, Locality Pantanal, Mato Grosso State, Brazil (ssp grandis)
Mark Andrews 10 August 2009 3 years ago 3.9
Adult perched on a stick. Locality Mana, French Guiana (ssp grandis)
Patrick Ingremeau 23 August 2008 2 years ago 3.5
Great Potoos (adult and juvenile) at daytime roost Locality Napo Wildlife Center, Orellana Province, Ecuador
Ron Flemal 11 September 2008 4 years ago 3.5
Individual perched on a branch roosting during the daylight hours. Locality Arenal region, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica
Miriam Bauman 6 February 2011 2 years ago 3.5
Smiling Locality San José del Guaviare, Guaviare Department, Colombia (ssp grandis)
mauricio rueda 17 March 2012 1 year ago 3.4
Dorsal view of perched bird Locality Pepperpot, Paramaribo, Paramaribo District, Suriname (ssp grandis)
Mikko Pyhälä 28 April 2012 1 year ago 3.4
adult sleeping on a Branch of tree Locality Cojedes State, Venezuela
Ferran Vaquero 10 July 2010 2 years ago 3.2
A chick on the nest Locality Cuyabeno, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador
Libor Vaicenbacher 12 September 2009 3 years ago 3
Great Potoo roosting on tree trunk Locality Panama
Joel Hedgpeth 1 March 2007 3 years ago 3
An adult, perfectly camouflaged in the tree trunk. Locality Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge, Arenal region, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica
Carmelo López 13 March 2004 3 years ago 2