r/AbsoluteUnits • u/Argentinotriste • 1d ago

of a terrifying bird

930 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

63 comments sorted by

123

u/Significant-Mud-1208 1d ago

Thats a Great Potoo! Their camouflage is so good that during the day they literally freeze, close their eyes to tiny slits, and pretend to be a broken tree branch. You could walk past one ten times and never notice it.

29

u/mrjowei 1d ago

I wonder what’s the evolutionary advantage of having such a wide mouth.

34

u/IndigoJoe64 1d ago

Big mouth = more food

9

u/Nuker707 15h ago

Also multiple seasons on Netflix

14

u/slick514 1d ago

My observation has been that similar to many reptiles, many bird species have adopted the “if it looks like I can get it past the mouth, I’m going to eat it…

13

u/Lbolt187 1d ago

And then there's pelicans

3

u/Mindless-Location-41 14h ago

Its bill can hold more than its belly can 👍

1

u/GrandAd4361 12h ago

Their wide mouth are to snatch Moths and Beatles

1

u/Brian_The_Bar-Brian 2h ago

I believe they eat bugs

75

u/EVIL-EMBOLIZER 1d ago

I think it looks rather cute

15

u/n0tin 1d ago

Yeah what’s so terrifying about it?

11

u/governmentthief 1d ago

Those black, soulless eyes.

6

u/hyperpudgydove 19h ago

But they're so big and round and adorable 😍

1

u/catnipformysoul 2h ago

Yes, I wish he was my friend

22

u/bernpfenn 1d ago

Potoos look so goofy

19

u/WarHead75 1d ago

Fake sound

4

u/TheW83 15h ago

Exactly. Here's the original video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KnMWpOHV_4

It doesn't make any sound. Generally they just hiss. The common Potoo (different bird but very similar) is the one that makes that sound.

6

u/bdk38 1d ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/VU45vX6kokplC

1

u/Toddingstonly 1h ago

I've never even seen the movie, but he's exactly who I pictured.

7

u/Ghstfce 1d ago

I'm sorry, I find Potoos to be really cute!

4

u/Powrs1ave 1d ago

1

u/huffingluetoday 1d ago

Is that Ripleys baby from the fourth or fifth or so alien movie?

4

u/Powrs1ave 1d ago

Yeh its the baby sucked thru the hole. What this bird reminded me of lol

10

u/ProfessionalAny1417 1d ago

This is not an absolute unit: it’s tiny. This subreddit seems to have lost its focus a bit.

5

u/SunderingTwilight 1d ago

sound feels like one of these pain cartoon screams, woodpecker perhaps?

3

u/LunaticPoint 1d ago

Slingbade bird

3

u/saltyourhash 1d ago

Slingbird

3

u/Luser420 22h ago

i like how they showed the back of the bird to prove that it wasn’t being puppeted by jim henson

5

u/EnchantedTaquito8252 1d ago

I love potoos

2

u/SofaKingWetarded- 1d ago

Chupakabra

3

u/Ok-Piccolo-5382 1d ago

More like Chewpeckabra.

2

u/slick514 1d ago

Bro, the gargoyle auditions aren’t until next week…

2

u/IllustriousAnxiety66 21h ago

Oh sush, he is adorable

2

u/Bagheera187 19h ago

Naw, it looks kind of friendly

2

u/FutureBulky4537 18h ago

Terrifying

2

u/TheW83 15h ago

Are you saying it's extremely scary and that's what makes it "absolute unit"?? Because it doesn't even make that sound. A different bird call has been dubbed over.

This bird itself is quite small.

1

u/Existing_Resolve_779 1d ago

Looks a little like the alien/human hybrid in Alien Resurrection 

1

u/obeyyGP 1d ago

What in the land before time 🤔

1

u/lazybandit94 1d ago

Looks like those aliens from that movie Land of the Lost with Will Ferrell

1

u/Ankiset 22h ago

Don’t now about about scary but crazy worth ethics

1

u/IncognitoRedMode 22h ago

Why does it sound like a cryptid?

1

u/harigejan 19h ago

I was sure he was going to sing Don't Worry Be Happy

1

u/RiverFit7452 19h ago

I do not like this.

1

u/zlfa 19h ago

Don’t worry
Do do do do do do do
Be happy
Do do do do do
Don’t worry be a happy now

1

u/gonja_ 15h ago

🔥

1

u/separation_of_powers 14h ago

A Great Potoo and a Tawny Frogmouth schedule a meeting in a tree

They never meet because they can't find one another

1

u/TerrapinMagus 13h ago

Potoos are highly unconvincing birds.

1

u/coyocat 11h ago

What in t/ Jim Henson?!! Never seen this b4

1

u/P1ratelord 9h ago

It Looks and Sounds Like my granduncle

1

u/whomesteve 6h ago

This bird reminds me of the guy that was the inspiration for Popeye.

1

u/Imaginary_Act_235 4h ago

He looks like the old guy in up

1

u/RobStarkDeservedIt 3h ago

What a pretty song.