Common Potoo

Description:

Check out the amazing mimicry on this bird! The common potoo spends the daylight hours perched on the end of dead branches. They literaly do not move all day long, sitting with their neck extended and looking exacely like an extension of the branch. The cryptic coloration of their feathers provide perfect camoflauge and their behavior helps them to mimic the dead branch on which they perch. Unfortunately, we disturbed this one a bit and it shifted its perch and opened its eye just a crack. When undisturbed, notches in the eyelid permit potoos to see even when their eyes are closed. Ordinarily the tail feathers would be shifted slightly to the right and lay perfectly flat against the branch. If you didn't know what you were looking for, you would never see it! Potoos are nocturnal insectivores. They are most vocal during the full moon and at twilight.. Their songs is a hauntings series of whistled notes: Waaoo, woo-woo-wooh-wuuh.

Habitat:

Tend to favor the forest edge, including river edges. They are the most common and widespread of the potoos and are farily common in lowland rainforests.

Notes:

We spotted this one in a light gap along a spur trail between Napo and ACTS. It used this perch each day while we were in the field.