Andean Potoo Nyctibius maculosus

A typical potoo, Andean Potoo is a large dark brown species, with white markings in the tail and wings; particularly prominenet is a large white panel in the wing coverts, which is buffish white in females. This is the truly highland representative of the genus Nyctibius, and should not be confused with any other species. The Andean Potoo occurs locally and perhaps discontinuously from westernmost Venezuela, through Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, just into western Bolivia. The species is an inhabitant of humid montane forests, from 1800 up to at least 2800 m, and easily is overlooked, like all potoos, when roosting. As a result of this and the species’ comparative rarity, very little is known concerning the ecology and behavior of the Andean Potoo.