Potoo

Potoos (family Nyctibiidae) are a group of birds related to the oilbird, with which they share the Sedentaves subclade. They are sometimes called poor-me-ones, after their haunting calls. The family Nyctibiidae was formerly included with the nightjars in the order Caprimulgiformes but is now placed in a separate order, Nyctibiiformes. There are seven species in two genera in tropical Central and South America. Fossil evidence indicates that they also inhabited Europe during the Paleogene. Potoos are nocturnal insectivores that lack the bristles around the mouth found in the true nightjars. They hunt from a perch like a shrike or flycatcher. During the day they perch upright on tree stumps, camouflaged to look like part of the stump. The single spotted egg is laid directly on the top of a stump. In Argentina, they are known as kakuy or cacuy from Quechua meaning 'to remain'. In Bolivia they are called guajojo, for the sound of their call. In Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay, they are called urutaú from Guarani guyra 'bird' and tau 'ghost'.