Great Potoo (Nyctibius grandis)

Vocal Activity of the Great Potoo (Nyctibius Grandis) in Relation to Moonlight: Detections in Costa Rica

“…Moon-driven behaviors were reported in many potoos and nightjars since moonlight can affect both their vocal activity, their feeding and laying dates (Perrins & Crick 1996, Bodrati & Cockle 2012, Reino et al 2015, Adams 2020, Perez-Granados & Schuchmann 2020. Different hypotheses have been proposed to account for moonlight-related vocal behaviors, although none of them have been strictly tested.…”

“…Moonlight is an important factor for nocturnal birds because it could affect their foraging, vocal, and movement patterns (Enríquez-Rocha & Rangel-Salazar 2001, Woods & Brigham 2008, Penteriani et al 2010, Bodrati & Cockle 2012. Specifically, potoos (Nyctibiidae) apparently vary their activity rates with moon phases (Adams 2020). They are rarely seen, and thus variations in their vocal activity with the moon cycle and light levels could be important for studying their ecology.…”

“…The Great Potoo (Nyctibius grandis) is an insectivorous nocturnal bird that inhabits tropical forests from southern Mexico to southeastern Brazil and central Bolivia (Adams 2020). Despite its large size, the Great Potoo is seldom observed, probably because of its cryptic plumage and lethargic diurnal behavior (Perry 1979, Adams 2020). However, this species is regularly detected through its characteristic guttural vocalizations (Perry 1979, Slud 1979.…”

“…Here, we report Great Potoo auditory detections and their relation to moonlight in a tall, closed-canopy, old-growth tropical forest in northern Costa Rica. Potoo is virtually unknown for Central America, this period is probably included within its breeding season, according to reports from northern South America (Adams 2020). LSBS covers an extension of 1600 ha of Tropical Rainforest located in the lowlands of the north Caribbean slope (10°25'22" N, 84°01'19" W, < 100 m a.s.l.).…”