Northern Potoo (Nyctibius jamaicensis) [XC797316]
by id from Spanish Lookout, Cayo District, Belize (song)
Northern Potoo (Nyctibius) [XC226748]
by Paul Driver from La Pesca area, Tamaulipas, Mexico (song)
Subspecies
Sometimes considered conspecific with Common Potoo (Nyctibius griseus), with which it forms a superspecies. In Costa Rica, where both occur, there appear to be no consistent morphological characters to distinguish the two vocal types. The type specimen of subspecies costaricensis comes from a region in central Costa Rica where it is presumed only jamaicensis vocal type occurs, hence its placement within present species. Most specimens previously attributed to costaricensis, however, including those from Caribbean slope of Nicaragua, probably represent the Common Potoo (Nyctibius griseus) vocal type. Mainland subspecies lambi and costaricensis doubtfully valid, probably representing extremes in clinal variation, suggesting synonymy with mexicanus. Subspecies abbotti once proposed to be separate species, based on longer song noted in sample of unspecified number of individuals.
The following 5 subspecies are recognised:
lambi Davis, J, 1959 - Pacific slope of western Mexico.
mexicanus Nelson, 1900 - Eastern and southern Mexico to El Salvador and Honduras, including Roatán I.
costaricensis Ridgway, 1912 - Pacific slope of northern and central Costa Rica, and possibly western Nicaragua.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet