Potoos - Ibijaux

Potoos are members of the bird family Nyctibiidae. There are seven different species of potoo, which are found in Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. They're cousins of the nightjars (the family that includes nighthawks and whip-poor-wills).

During the day, potoos hide in plain sight, perching in trees and relying on their resemblance to broken-off branches to keep from being noticed. This works because they hold perfectly still and are covered in gray and brown plumage, which closely resembles tree bark.

Potoos are nocturnal. During the day, they perch on tree branches, where they are hard to spot. If they sense danger, they freeze, making them even more difficult to spot.

Did you know ??

• Instead of building a nest, female potoos lay a single egg in a knot hole or a crevice in a branch.

• They can see you even with their eyes closed. They have “magic eyes”, which are small folds along the upper eyelids that allow them to sense movement with their eyes closed. This means that from their camouflaged positions during the day, they can still watch for predators