White-winged Potoo

Overview

The white-winged potoo (Nyctibius leucopterus) is a nocturnal bird in the family Nyctibiidae, found across parts of South America. It is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, although its population is thought to be decreasing due to forest destruction.

Identification

• Length of 24 to 29 cm, with a large white patch on the secondary wing coverts.
• Dark brown plumage above and lighter brown below, both featuring darker speckles.
• The Amazonian form produces a haunting and melancholy, gradually descending 'feeeoooooo' song, along with a soft 'bweep' call.

Habitat

The Amazonian form inhabits the canopy of mature terra firme rainforest, including forest on white-sand soils, across the Amazon basin in eastern Venezuela, eastern Peru, the Guianas, and northern Brazil. The eastern form has a smaller range in Brazil's Bahia and Espírito Santo states, where it is assumed to inhabit the canopy of the Atlantic Forest.

Diet

The white-winged potoo feeds on insects, which it captures by sallying from an exposed perch during the night.

Did you know?

Although the species is currently considered monotypic, the Amazonian form is thought to potentially be a distinct species in its own right. The species is also believed to lay a single egg on a high branch in a manner similar to other potoos, despite a lack of detailed knowledge on its breeding phenology.