Long-tailed Potoo article available to download

In 2010 at REGUA in southeast Brazil, I discovered a new feature for Long-tailed Potoo Nyctibius aethereus. The feature is unique to this potoo species and easily observed in the field, making it a very useful for identification. My paper on this, A new identification feature for Long-tailed Potoo Nyctibius aethereus, was published last April in Neotropical Birding (Neotrop. Birding 10: 27–30.), and is now also available online to download as a PDF.

To download a copy click here.

Long-tailed Potoo article published

My article on the new diagnostic identification feature for Long-tailed Potoo that I discovered in 2010 at REGUA in Brazil's Atlantic Forest has now been published. Check out A new identification feature for Long-tailed Potoo Nyctibius aethereus in the latest issue of Neotropical Birding - the magazine of the Neotropical Bird Club.

If you're interested in Neotropical birds and are not already a member then it is well worth joining the Neotropical Bird Club. They are helping to promote birding and conservation in Latin America and their annual journal Cotinga and bi-annual magazine Neotropical Birding are both excellent, and more than justify the £21 joining fee!

Update on new Long-tailed Potoo ID feature

I've finally submitted a paper to the Neotropical Bird Club, describing in detail a previously unknown feature I observed last year in south-east Brazil on a couple of Long-tailed Potoos Nyctibius aethereus. The tips to the scapulars, wing coverts, tertials and some of the mantle are sharply upturned on Long-tailed Potoo (click on the photo below to enlarge), whereas on all other potoo species the feathers lie flat. This feature is not mentioned in the literature or shown in any field guide illustrations, but a study of photos and museum specimens of all seven potoo species found the feature to be unique to Long-tailed Potoo, and therefore a useful identification feature in the field.

Three subspecies of Long-tailed Potoo are currently recognised: the nominate N. a. aethereus, found across south-east South America (previously split as Large-tailed Potoo); N. a. longicaudatus of Amazonia; and N. a. chocoensis of the Chocó region of west Colombia and north-west Ecuador. I found upturned feathers on aethereus and longicaudatus, albeit less pronounced on the later, but unfortunately I couldn't find any photos or skins of chocoensis. Hopefully the paper will be accepted and published in either Cotinga or Neotropical Birding next year.

Potoo training

Spent the day at the Natural History Museum at Tring studying potoo skins. I was particularly interested in a feature I observed in the field on a couple of Long-tailed Potoos at REGUA in Brazil back in May. Unfortunately I found that this feature is not well preserved on the skins due to the way they are stored (which might explain why field guide illustrations do not show it), however, after inspecting 102 specimens of six species (including 14 Long-tailed Potoo specimens of two subspecies) and a whole bunch of photos, I found enough evidence to back up my theory that the feature is unique to Long-tailed Potoo (more on this later). This is the first time I have visited the museum at Tring and it was fascinating pulling out trays containing little known species. I couldn't resist taking this potoo family portrait (click to enlarge)! There's one species missing - any idea which one?

Long-tailed Potoos at REGUA

An early morning attempt for Black-banded Owl this morning once again concluded with the birds begin heard but not seen. However, a lifer in the form of a Long-tailed Potoo and an excellent encounter with this Mottled Owl (first photo) more than compensated. We also heard Tawny-browed Owl here and so if these species are indicators of the overall health of an ecosystem then this large fragment of lowland Atlantic Forest appears to be in good shape. Hopefully I'll manage to get back here during daylight to explore some more. After breakfast at the lodge while watching this Yellow Armadillo (second photo) I spent the rest of the day walking the Waterfall Trail, which had a lot of activity. The highlights were this roosting Long-tailed Potoo (third and forth photos), a Shrike-like Cotinga, 2 Rufous-capped Antthrushes, Pin-tailed Manakin and Black-cheeked Gnateater. Check out the upturned feather tips on the upperparts of the Long-tailed Potoo, giving an impression of peeling bark on a tree (click on photos to enlarge). I cannot find any reference to this feature in any of the literature? What an incredible bird!