Great Potoo
Nyctibius grandis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderNyctibiiformes (Potoos)
- FamilyNyctibiidae (Potoos)
- GenusNyctibius (Typical Potoos)
- SpeciesNyctibius grandis (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. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Great Potoo sighting in Yasuní National Park, based on 500 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Yasuní National Park
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️🌙 When They're Spotted
Active throughout day and night · across all parks (global)
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
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Great Potoo in Yasuní National Park?
About 15% of wildlife watchers report a Great Potoo sighting in Yasuní National Park, based on 500 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Great Potoo in Yasuní National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Great Potoo in Yasuní National Park in our monthly data.