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Planet Earth is bursting with life, whether it’s in the deep oceans, top of the mountains or the Great Plains of Africa, life is thriving and adapting wherever it can. Scientists have made incredible and huge discoveries over the past 100 years that have changed and shaped the very fabric of how we look at life on planet earth. Whether it’s plants, animals, bacteria or fungi life can come in an infinite amount of shapes and sizes, while sometimes looking completely normal and other times looking very very strange.
In today’s article we are featuring one of these very strange and weird animals. When you first take a look at it you probably won’t even think this could possibly be a real thing. It looks like something Jim Henson would’ve created in the 70-80’s during the height of the Muppets. This odd animal actually looks more unique and strange than any of Henson’s muppets. When somebody first showed me it, I thought they were playing a prank to see if I would believe them or not. Turns out it wasn’t a prank and this strange animal really does exist!
So it turns out this animal is in fact a bird called the Nyctibius grandis or the more common name the Great Potoo. This weird bird can only be found in South America and sometimes Central America. The Great Potoo is a master of camouflage and is also nocturnal. So the chances of you seeing one during the day are slim to none!
They blend in so well with trees that they are often simply mistaken for branches on a tree. The Great Potoo hunts at night and eats small bats and insects under the moonlight. Just like owls, they are great hunters and do pretty much all of their eating at night. They are also known for their very distinct sound.
Unlike most birds that chirp, the Great Potoo makes a noise that almost sounds as if it was a dog barking! These birds are just amazing and I hope one day, maybe just maybe I’ll be able to see one in person! Have you ever seen one? Let us know!
Watch the video below for pictures and video clips of this strange creature:
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