Nyctiphrynus ocellatus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
The ocellated poorwill (Nyctiphrynus ocellatus) is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Peru. At one time what is now the Choco poorwill (Nyctiphrynus rosenbergi) was considered a subspecies of the ocellated poorwill, but plumage, vocalization, and genetic differences showed it to be its own species.
The ocellated poorwill is 20 to 21 cm (7.9 to 8.3 in) long. Males weigh 35 to 43 g (1.2 to 1.5 oz) and females 29 to 44 g (1.0 to 1.6 oz). There are two color morphs, one brown and one rufous. The brown morph of the nominate is mostly dark grayish brown with blackish brown spots on the wings and white spots on the belly. The white spots somewhat resemble eyes, which gives the bird its name. It has a bold white band around the throat. The outer three or four tail feathers have narrow white tips. The rufous morph is paler and reddish brown instead of dark... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manu National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 2 | Tambopata National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 3 | Amboró National Park | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 4 | Yasuní National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Ocellated Poorwill sighting in Yasuní National Park on a given day, based on 40 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 422nd most-seen of the 533 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Ocellated Poorwill in Yasuní National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June to April, the lowest months.
Between 5 and 8 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Ocellated Poorwill sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
4th of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Ocellated Poorwill sightings, Yasuní National Park ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Manu National Park (Peru, about 10%), Tambopata National Reserve (Peru, under 5%) and Amboró National Park (Bolivia, under 5%).
Same family: Caprimulgidae
The closest relatives of the Ocellated Poorwill that you can see in Yasuní National Park (family Caprimulgidae, Nightjars and Allies) are Ladder-tailed Nightjar (about 10%) and Common Pauraque (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Ocellated Poorwill is recorded against all the birds logged in Yasuní National Park (40 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
