Potoos: These birds have magic in their eyes!
If you have a knack for memes, then you must have seen a bird with a small owl- like appearance and big goofy eyes! Any idea what this bird is called? It is potoo, a bird that resembles an owl but is unrelated to the owl family! Potoos belong to the Nyctibiidae family. They frequently appear in memes because of their funny name, slightly creepy-goofy appearance, and huge googly yellow eyes. Potoos are insectivorous birds. They can be found on the Caribbean islands and Central and South America. The Amazon is home to the greatest variety of potoos, with five of the seven species being found there.
These nocturnal birds are adapted to hunting flying insects at night. Because of their large eyes and mouths, they can swoop down from their nests to catch beetles, moths, termites, and other insects. They are famous for their spooky screams and remarkable camouflage. Here are some fascinating facts about them.
A potoo can look like a branch
These birds have mastered the art of hiding. The potoos can sit incredibly still with their eyes closed. They keep a sharp angle while perching on top of dead branches. The Great Potoo (Nyctibius grandis) even lifts its beak, making it appear as a branch! It can remain in this position the entire day, barely moving and almost unnoticeable.
They have magic in their eyes
Potoos have tiny folds on the top of their eyelids. These folds help them perceive movement, even when their eyes are closed. It means they can keep an eye out for predators from their hiding places during the day. Since they hunt at night, their huge eyes give them great night vision. These allow them to see insects from their nest. This feature adds to their goofy appearance, which has made them so well-known in memes!
Myths surrounding potoos
The Common Potoo (Nyctibius griseus) is known locally as 'Ayaymama.' It is nicknamed so because of its long and sad call, 'ayyyyyy ayyyyy maaaaa maaaa'. Meanwhile, the Great Potoo, one of the largest potoo species found in Central and South America, makes a horrible whining scream!
The spooky call of the Common Potoo gave rise to the Amazonian version of Hansel and Gretel, a German fairy tale. The story goes like this. Once upon a time, two kids were left in the Amazon Forest by their parents, who could not provide for them. The kids, worried, started shouting to look for their parents. In the end, they turned into potoos. They yell 'mama' to their mother, who abandoned them, till the end of time.
A similarly sorrowful tale about two lovers is popular in Ecuador. Two lovers, after they were torn apart, could not handle that parting. In the end, one became the moon and the other a potoo. The potoo is always reaching out to the moon, its unreachable lover! With their strangely beautiful appearance and ghostly call, the potoos sure are magical, not just because of their eyes!
Meet Rufous, the smallest potoo
A potoo typically ranges in size from 25 centimetres to 58 centimetres and weighs between 46 grams and 652 grams. The smallest potoo, the Rufous Potoo (Nyctibius bracteatus), weighs about 50 grams. Its survival strategy involves pretending to be a dead leaf. The bird even makes small back-and-forth swinging motions that give it the appearance of a leaf blowing in the wind! The tiny potoo can be mostly found in Ecuador. However, a small population of Rufous potoo can be found on the borders of Bolivia and Peru.