The ugly bird is likened to the ‘messenger of hell’

Despite their puppet-like appearance, potoo birds are a family of nocturnal birds that live in Central and South America. Potoo is a member of the Nyctibiidae bird family, which includes the two genera Nyctibius and Phyllaemulor. There are 7 different species of potoo birds distributed in Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. They are relatives of the mosquito owl. Although they have large eyes and are active at night, they are not closely related to owls, according to ABC Bird.

Depending on the species, potoo birds can be from 20 to nearly 60 cm long. In addition to its oversized eyes, the main features of this bird are its large head, short neck, long body and small, curved beak. Although concentrated in Central and South America today, they were once much more widely distributed. Potoo bird fossils from the Pleistocene epoch 34 – 56 million years ago were found in France and Germany.

During the day, birds live in seclusion, perching in trees and relying on colors that blend with tree branches for camouflage. This method is very effective because they stand perfectly still with gray fur and hair that resembles tree bark. The potoo bird can make itself look even more like a tree thanks to its unique posture. They stretch out until their heads are completely upright, their eyes are closed and their head feathers are pressed tightly. The characteristic grooves in their eyelids help them monitor their surroundings even when their eyes are closed.

Potoo birds live in tropical forests and tall grasslands. After staying hidden during the day, they spend the evening catching insects, sometimes even bats and small birds. They love to hunt from overhanging tree branches, waiting for potential prey to approach, then swooping down and grabbing it with their wide-open beaks. The potoo’s long wings and tail help it maintain balance as it chases prey through tree trunks.

Each species of potoo bird has its own unique call. The sounds of potoos range from the resounding roar of the large potoo to the melodious song of the common potoo or the shrill screech of the northern potoo. The northern potoo was once considered a subspecies of the common potoo, but the two species are actually separate partly due to different calls.

Ornithologists are not sure at what age potoos begin breeding, how far the young birds fly after leaving the nest, or how many years they live. The female potoo bird lays an egg in a tree cavity. The eggs hatch after a month and both father and mother birds care for the young, releasing insects for it to eat. At two weeks old, the chicks begin to learn to stretch their necks to look more like tree branches.