| Oilbird | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Clade: | Strisores |
| Clade: | Vanescaves |
| Order: | Steatornithiformes Mayr, 2010 |
| Family: | Steatornithidae Bonaparte, 1842 |
| Genus: | Steatornis Humboldt, 1814 |
| Species: | S. caripensis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Steatornis caripensis Humboldt, 1817
| |
| |
The oilbird (Steatornis caripensis), locally known as the guácharo, is a bird species found in the northern areas of South America including the Caribbean island of Trinidad. It is the only species in the genus Steatornis, the family Steatornithidae, and the order Steatornithiformes. Nesting in colonies in caves, oilbirds are nocturnal feeders on the fruits of the oil palm and tropical laurels. They are the only nocturnal flying fruit-eating birds in the world (the kākāpō, also nocturnal, is flightless). They forage at night, with specially adapted eyesight. However, they navigate by echolocation in the same way as bats, one of the few birds to do so. They produce a high-pitched clicking sound of around 2 kHz that is audible to humans.[2]
- ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Steatornis caripensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22689633A93240317. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22689633A93240317.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
- ^ Snow (2008), pp. 137–143.