Potoos are really odd looking birds. But cool looking too in their own comical sort of way. They have big, bulbous yellow eyes that resemble colored ping pong balls. This guy was perched high in a tree, where they spend most of their time. They are nocturnal, but occasionally can be spotted sleeping on an open branch during the day. In this image, you can see the potoo’s right eye in profile as he looks toward the right side of the frame. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 500, f/5.6 at 1/160th of a second, Godox v860iii flash.
Your little cousin Madelyn thinks this is a funny name for a Bird Potoos why not just say it’s a Owl & kind of scary looking
First comment from a 8 year old
They do look like owls, but they’re not related. They’re cousins of nightjars and whip-o-wills, which we have in the US. It’s always interesting to travel and see our US species ‘cousins’. Great capture! And owls can have yellow eyes.. Owls active in daytime or at dusk are more likely to have orange or yellow eyes. The snowy owl is a prime example.
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Potoos are really odd looking birds. But cool looking too in their own comical sort of way. They have big, bulbous yellow eyes that resemble colored ping pong balls. This guy was perched high in a tree, where they spend most of their time. They are nocturnal, but occasionally can be spotted sleeping on an open branch during the day. In this image, you can see the potoo’s right eye in profile as he looks toward the right side of the frame. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 500, f/5.6 at 1/160th of a second, Godox v860iii flash.
Looks somewhat like an owl, but for the yellow eyes.
One of my favorite animals due to its bizarre appearance and its stellar ability to camouflage. Great shot.
Love them!
Your little cousin Madelyn thinks this is a funny name for a Bird Potoos why not just say it’s a Owl & kind of scary looking
First comment from a 8 year old
“Potoo” is a very gentle euphemism for “owl who’s just discovered meth”, but do I love it? You bet your sweet Potoo I do.
They do look like owls, but they’re not related. They’re cousins of nightjars and whip-o-wills, which we have in the US. It’s always interesting to travel and see our US species ‘cousins’. Great capture! And owls can have yellow eyes.. Owls active in daytime or at dusk are more likely to have orange or yellow eyes. The snowy owl is a prime example.
That eye makes the photo seem like a caricature.. Nice souvenir, Sean!