I thought Owls were the only birds that had wide eyes until I came across Potoo on the internet and I must confess their look was scary and weird. Why will a bird look like a wood back and then have an eye so wide that it looks like its passing out poops? I always say to myself that I haven't seen enough birds and someday, I will travel round the world taking notes of different birds and their distinctive characteristics but before then, let me share everything you need to know about them on Stemsocial.
These birds are of seven different species and are a native to the tropical region of central and South America. The species are the Northern Potoo, White-winged Potoo, Rufous potoo, Great Potoo, Long-tailes Potoo, Andean Potoo, and the Common/lesser potoo, and their diversity in habitat range from the wetland of Pantanal to the deserts of Columbia. The birds aren't that big, they are about the same size with a pigeon just within 30 to 70cm and it is a member of the nightjar family but due to convergent evolution they look similar to owls but are from completely different lineages.
During the day, the Potoo sit on the branches of tree and adjust their heads looking upwards like they are a part of the tree and at night, they are active looking for food. While they have these similarities with owls, they aren't like owls because they lack facial disc but they have big eyes and bills. When they open their bills, it opens wide from ear to ear and inside their mouth has bright coloration that attracts insects.
The upper mandible has a teeth-like protrusion that allows the potoo to grab their prey but they do not chew their prey because they only have pseudo tooth and will swallow their prey whole. They feed on insects and their mouth is big enough to swallow a small bird whole and they hunt only at night. They use their sight only as a way to find their prey as their eyes is designed to get in lots of light and be able to identify moving prey.
You know predators can also become preys and in this case they need to protect themselves. Potoo hide in plain sight as they look just like the tree backs. They stay on branches and pretend to be an extension of the branch as they stay still but are very cautious of their surrounding.
When Potoo are not standing still on a branch or hunting, they are caring for their baby. Both parents play a active role in feeding their young one. The mother lay the egg on concave branch or on a stump without any twig or leave padding. The egg stays there until about 1 month after which it hatches and their baby is born. Both parent for a month after which it is matured enough to live on its own for the next decade if they are not hunted, or killed.
When next you are going in the woods and you see a branch like thing, do not be quick to say it is a tree, it might be a Potoo and do not be so scared of the look of that bird because it is an insect eating predator and would never predate on you.
https://abcbirds.org/bird/common-potoo/
https://cloudfarmfunds.com/uncategorized/the-great-potoo-bird/2712
https://www.aaas.org/news/weird-wonderful-creatures-potoo
https://abcbirds.org/blog21/potoos/
https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/nyctib1/cur/introduction
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/great-potoo-nyctibius-grandis