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potoo

American

[poh-too] / poʊˈtu /

noun

any of several nocturnal birds of the family Nyctibiidae, of Mexico and Central and South America, related to the goatsuckers.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

potoos

plural

Etymology

Origin of potoo

1840–50; originally Jamaican English patoo; compare Twi patú owl

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

potoo potoos

During the day, the potoo perches on tree branches, remaining perfectly still, with its cryptic plumage resembling a broken tree branch or stump.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2023

As I didn't want to risk disturbing the potoo into flight, I photographed it with a long telephoto lens.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2023

Apparently she has been called the ugliest bird in the world, a distinction that should really go to the potoo.

From Slate ● Feb. 13, 2017

A common potoo perches on a branch in Peru.

From National Geographic

NNE Felipe Carrillo Puerto, 27 potoos were seen, their large and brilliant, amber-colored eyes first appearing in the headlights several hundred yards ahead of our vehicle.

From Summer Birds From the Yucatan Peninsula by Erwin E. Klaas

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023